Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? (The Dr. Mark Hyman Library, 7)

First, this book is very readable, even enjoyable. That is something that most nutrition & health books aren’t. I have multiple auto-immune diseases, including ulcerative colitis, and my dad had Alzheimer’s. I’d also gained 90 lbs of fat from medications that changed my metabolism so I couldn’t take it off. A good part of it was inflammatory belly fat from prednisone. I knew the low fiber diet is been told to eat for my UC wasn’t helping matters. After Dad died in 11/2018 I became vegan. It did help my UC but I have malabsorption both genetically and from the UC itself. Getting enough protein and other nutrients was hard. But my gastroenterologist did slow down the rate I was getting immunosuppressants. (Yay!) Yearly last year I started a mostly plant based Keto after hearing Dr. Will Cole talk about his book Ketotarian. (I can’t recommend it enough.) I lost so much weight; moreover, I lost the belly fat! It changed my metabolism that all the meds messed up. I continue to lose weight by eating a little more fat and healthy carbs in moderation. The problem was I still felt like grass fed meats, eaten occasionally, would boost my nutrient and protein intake. All of these modalities seems to be in opposition. I was as confused about what to eat as every other person who wants or needs to eat for better or optimal health. “Food” not only guided me through the healthy food maze but married all my different beliefs into one very well research idea. I’d not been off the mark at all but still got so much great information in how to implement it all. He has lists great resources to make this all doable. So, yes to a mostly plant based diet. Yes to adding more fat back into your diet to make you lose weight. Yes to keto if you need it. And, yes to adding back some grass fed meat. No to processed Frankenfoods, pesticides and most dairy but my GI doctor doesn’t want her patients eating them anyway even the vegan ones. For anyone afraid of eating this way, the food is even more delicious than the processed foods you’ve gotten used to. The flavors are incredible. Think of it as going to Thanksgiving dinner and most of what you put on you plate are the side dishes!

I am enjoying the book.

Plenty of good information that makes sense. But much is also predictable - eat organic, avoid sugars and artificial everything and there is a personal agenda of read his other books, work with his nutritionists, etc. That said it is a good basic if you aren't feeling just right or need to loose weight. The author teaches important basics and cuts through all the nutritional arguments and mumbo-jumbo. It's a great way to kick start a resolve to make some changes and does include some healthy recipes that do actually look good. He gives a lot of information for diabetics. The book is divided up by the various food groups (making it a good resource) but what I've never seen is a section on supplements. But after a book full of eat these nutrient rich foods, it's a long list of supplements. It is worth the read and it's a book I'm sure I'll reference frequently. If you don't buy into the plethora of diets - vegan, Paleo, etc - you will probably enjoy what he has to say.

In “Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?” Dr Mark Hyman expertly guides the reader through the many nutrition pitfalls of modern life. Each chapter goes deep into a food group, starting with meat. Nutritional studies are mentioned and meticulously noted. He is as concerned about the environment as he is about human health, so environmental factors pop up in every food chapter, giving weight to the advice to eat better, not just for ourselves, but also for future generations and the health of the planet. I have been reading a lot of new books on nutrition recently, so much of the information was not surprising to me. The author advises us to avoid all processed foods and industrial seed oils. He suggests to be wary of dairy, sugar and grains but to eat lots and lots of vegetables with grass fed meat, sustainable seafood and pasture-raised chicken & eggs. Even though I agree wholeheartedly with his advice, I don’t know if I can stop eating bread, or if I’ll ever have the willpower to give up dairy. I like vegetables but eating them three times a day is not going to be easy. I already cook most of my own food and avoid processed junk, I’m not sure how someone eating the standard American diet would manage to make such sweeping changes. This advice is also going to be tough for people on a strict budget. Veggies are affordable but high quality oils and fats are not, and grass fed meat is very expensive. It would be wonderful if we could all eat this way, but can we? Regardless of the difficulties in implementing the nutrition advice in the book, it is still one of best I’ve found on the subject. It’s straightforward, easy to read, well-organized and meticulously researched. If you read one book about nutrition this year, make it this one.

I really appreciated the organization of this book. Dr. Hyman does a great job at compartmentalizing every aspect of food. By separating food into multiple categories and helping you identify how to shop, read labels, cook, prepare and be aware of the foods that we purchase, eat and feed to our families; this book truly provides a one stop shop to a better lifestyle. Dr. Hyman has done an excellent job in his well cited, heavily resourced, and straight-and-to-the point approach to food and what the heck we should eat! The brutal honesty and intense exposure of big companies create a true resource for every consumer, we all deserve to know what is in the food we eat and it is terribly shocking to hear the reality behind it. A great read if you are struggling with trying to figure out how to eat the best food for yourself, or your family! I love the quote he ended the book with as well; “True health isn’t just about losing a few pounds or the absence of chronic disease, it’s about feeling good, showing up, giving your highest gift to the world.” Eat Well and Be Well!

arrived well but i havent been able to read it yet. Everybody talks about this amazing book hopefully it will be good

Das Buch hilft mir bestimmt weiter, alles sehr einfach und gut erklärt. Habe jetzt auch viele Antworten auf meine fragen. Hier wird alles erklärt , wenn man Zweifel ist und durch das Internet so unsicher wird. Leider is das Buch nicht neu da sind viele Kratzer auf das Cover. Schade neue Bücher sind immer bis hier im Plastik Folie gekommen. Das is sehr enttäuschend. Wenn ich ein gebrauchtes kaufen wollte dann hätte ich auch das option eins für weniger zu kaufen. Das mach mir etwas wütend.

Mind opening! I cannot stand the self-help, extreme marketing language that pervades American books on diets and healthy living, but this book, at least, combines that with solid science and judicious advice. A very helpful guide that provides you with a basic framework for navigating through so much conflicting information on precisely what the heck should we eat!.

I love this book and am finding it extremely informative and useful. Even though I don't eat meat (just some fish and occasionally chicken) this book has given me what I needed to perfect my dietary habits.

Really interesting, well researched and food for thought (pardon the pun). Yay!! I can have butter. I love my food and there was a lot of sensible advice. I do admit I don’t have a sweet tooth and it seems sugar is the problem whereas my generation thought it was fat. I’m luckily not overweight but now I know my natural preferences are what are keeping me healthy and will do more of the same. I need to concentrate on other areas of my life where I’m not doing so well☹️