How Not To Die: Discover the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease Paperback – January 1, 2017

Excellent. Excellent. Read this book and prepare to fall in love with fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Love spices: turmeric, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, cardamom, saffron. How could you not?"You should eat more fruits and vegetables as if your life depended on it, because maybe it does," writes Dr. Michael Greger.And not just a few more — a lot!In How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease, Dr. Greger dives into nutrition science providing overwhelming compelling evidence for food as medicine. He takes the reader through numerous well-conducted scientific studies that show how foods nourish and protect us. He points the eater to foods (like flaxseeds) proven to be more powerful and beneficial than medicine — if only we will eat to live.Dr. Greger became interested in nutrition science because of his grandmother, Frances. She was put on hospice due to a heart condition and told there was nothing more doctors could do. Instead of dying, his grandmother found Nathan Pritikin, changed her diet and lived 31 years longer. She was featured in Pritikin's biography: Pritikin: The Man Who Healed America's Heart.Greger was inspired to study medicine, became interested in nutrition science and changed his own diet after reading Dr. Dean Ornish's 1990 landmark Lifestyle Heart Trial study which showed how heart disease could be reversed with a plant-based diet and other lifestyle changes (no drugs, no surgery).Greger repeatedly points out that a whole-foods, plant-based diet can prevent and reverse heart disease — and he doesn't stop there. In part one of the book, Greger goes through the 15 leading causes of death and systematically shows how a plant-based diet may prevent or even reverse each of these ills."It turns out a more plant-based diet may help prevent, treat, or reverse every single one of our fifteen leading causes of death," he writes.He makes the case that there's an opportunity cost to food. At every meal, we can choose lifesaving nourishment, which builds our strength and resilience — or we can eat junk. Eating is about so much more than satisfying a craving or indulging a taste — it's about truly satiating hunger and sustaining and fortifying our bodies.Dr. Greger takes issue with silent doctors and watered down dietary guidelines. Rather than assuming what people can or can't do, Greger recommends providing people with the evidence and letting them make their own choices about their health, "First, it shouldn't matter what I or anyone else eats, says or does. The science is the science.""That one unifying diet found to best prevent and treat many of these chronic diseases is a whole-food, plant-based diet, defined as an eating pattern that encourages the consumption of unrefined plant foods and discourages meats, dairy products, eggs, and processed foods. In this book(How Not to Die), I don't advocate for a vegetarian diet or a vegan diet. I advocate for an evidence-based diet, and the best available balance of science suggests that the more whole plant foods we eat, the better—both to reap their nutritional benefits and to displace the less healthful options."How Not to Die reads a lot like The China Study to start. It systematically goes through a bunch of horrible, chronic diseases and presents scientific studies, which conclude that the disease is preventable with a plant-based diet. It becomes a familiar refrain — and increasingly frustrating.Why is this not more widely known and practiced? Dr. Greger has been talking about plant-based diets and food as medicine for 25 years (and he's certainly not a lone voice in the wilderness - see pairs well with below). Still, when the International Agency for Research on Cancer (22 experts from 10 countries) of the World Health Organization, after considering more than 800 studies on cancer in humans, showed a causal link between processed meat and colorectal cancer and declared bacon a known carcinogen and red meat a probable carcinogen, people who would on any other day say, "F* cancer!" were suddenly defending it. Eating death and suffering— for the love of bacon! How bizarre.What if there is already a cure?"Diets that revolve around whole plant foods — vegetables, whole grains, fruits and beans—cut the risk of many cancers, and other diseases as well." — American Institute for Cancer ResearchDr. Greger points out that agribusiness is big business and that U.S. dietary recommendations are mixed in with the Department of Agriculture's goals of promoting consumption. There is money to be made in processed foods, whereas watermelons, sweet potatoes, kale and turmeric are inexpensive health solutions.Then, people claim they would not enjoy life if they had to give up certain foods. Again, Dr. Greger looks to the science. On the contrary, studies show people feel better and enjoy eating plant-based diets. For diabetic patients, for example, a plant-based diet is less restrictive, easier to follow and more enjoyable than other options. It's a particularly great choice for people who love to eat. Following a plant-based lifestyle, you are encouraged to eat a lot of healthy, tasty, colorful, flavorful foods at every meal.Despite the sad state of the average American diet today, How Not to Die remains upbeat. Throughout the book, Greger amply employs wit, humor and silly puns (my favorite of which is "Them's some block-rockin' beets!" in reference to the benefits of beets for athletic performance.).The second part of How Not to Die talks about how to make those food choices — it's about eating a lot of certain fruits, vegetables, legumes and spices every day. Dr. Greger talks about his favorites and how much to eat. Again, lots!"One of their (World Cancer Research Fund) summary cancer-prevention recommendations is to eat whole grains and/or legumes (beans, split peas, chickpeas, or lentils) with every meal. Not every week or every day. Every meal!"To be clear, How Not to Die is not a book about immortality. It is a book about preventative medicine and living well — how not to die prematurely and how not to suffer from chronic disease.As the president of the American College of Cardiology, Kim Williams, MD said in advocating for and adopting a plant-based diet as written in "Heal Thyself," in the University of Chicago Magazine (Jan./Feb/ 2015), "Unlike those who find enjoyment or comfort even in foods they know are unhealthy, Williams takes solace in the belief that, with each bite, he’s doing no harm. 'I don’t mind dying,' he says, 'I just don’t want it to be my fault.'"The book ends on a sweet and loving note as Dr. Greger acknowledges the transience of life: "And we need to make each day count by filling is with fresh air, laughter, and love—love for ourselves, for others, and for whatever we are doing with our one precious life."

Co-authors of this indispensible book - Michael Greger, MD, a physician, author, internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety and public health issues and responsible for the website NutritionFacts.org, serves as the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States and Gene Stone, a former Peace Corps volunteer who is an author of books and is involved in community organization – have created a resource that belongs in the hands of every person concerned with self-care of health issues. The book is very accessible, offers a significant amount of both history of nutrition and how to learn about this medical school ignored subject and of the many scientists who have nurtured the concept of eating right to help our bodies get and stay healthy.Michael states, ‘When I started this work more than a decade ago, I thought the answer was to train the trainers, educate the profession. But with the democratization of information, doctors no longer hold a monopoly as gatekeepers of knowledge about health. When it comes to safe, simple lifestyle prescriptions, I’m realizing it may be more effective to empower individuals directly. In a recent national survey of doctor office visits, only about one in five smokers were told to quit. Just as you don’t have to wait for your physician to tell you to stop smoking, you don’t have to wait to start eating healthier. Then together we can show my medical colleagues the true power of healthy living.’ ‘Most deaths in the United States are preventable, and they are related to what we eat. Our diet is the number-one cause of premature death and the number-one cause of disability. Surely, diet must also be the number-one thing taught in medical schools, right? Sadly, it’s not. According to the most recent national survey, only a quarter of medical schools offer a single course in nutrition, down from 37 percent thirty years ago.’ So step into the self-sufficient arena with Michael and learn how to live a healthy life through proper nutrition and care of the body.The book is in 2 parts – Part 1: HOW NOT TO DIE FROM HEART DISEASE, LUNG DISEASES, BRAIN DISEASES, DIGESTIVE CANCERS, INFECTIONS, DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, LIVER DISEASES, BLOOD CANCERS, KIDNEY DISEASE, BREAST CANCER, SUICIDAL DEPRESSION, PROSTATE CANCER, PARKINSON’S DISEASE, and IATROGENIC (physician/medicine related) CAUSES.Part 2 – deals with specifics of nutrition with ‘Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen – BEANS, BERRIES, OTHER FRUITS, CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES, GREENS, OTHER VEGETABLES, FLAXSEEDS, NUTS AND SEEDS, HERBS AND SPICES, WHOLE GRAINS, BEVERAGES, and EXERCISE.One of the finest attributes of this book is the manner in which the information is relayed – well documented with facts, easily accessible to everyone’s reading level, and a coaching session that creates the desire to immediately get up and get with it. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, February 17

"How Not to Die" by Dr. Michael Greger is an eye-opening, science-backed guide on how diet and lifestyle choices can prevent and even reverse many chronic diseases. The book thoroughly examines the top causes of premature death and presents compelling evidence on how whole, plant-based foods can dramatically improve health.What I appreciate most is how Dr. Greger translates complex medical research into easy-to-understand, actionable advice. The Daily Dozen checklist is particularly helpful in building healthier eating habits. If you're looking for a book that not only educates but also empowers you to take control of your well-being, this is it! Highly recommend for anyone interested in nutrition, disease prevention, and overall longevity.

this book is easy and fun to read, inspiring and makes eating healthy easy. plus dr. greger has such a great sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.