FoodOverMedicine

I recently read Food Over Medicine: The Conversation That Could Change Your Life by Pam Popper and Glen Merzer (2013). 

This book is the transcript of a conversation between Popper and Merzer, both advocates for using nutrition to affect healing for humans.  Much of their conversation confirms what Moe (my lovely bride of 42 years) and I have been learning over the last few years about our own health and wellbeing.

Some of my biggest takeaways:

- There is mounting evidence that the health benefits of high-quality nutrition exceed that of conventional medical interventions for many of the chronic diseases plaguing Americans.

- Many of the chronic and autoimmune diseases we see in western cultures are the result of lifestyle and nutritional choices, and can often be reversed with changes in those lifestyle and nutritional choices.

- Conflicts of interest abound between researchers, corporations, and governmental regulatory agencies (within the medical, pharmaceutical, and nutrition fields).

- We, as a nation, would be far better served to focus on proactive health, lifestyle, and nutrition efforts than to continue to struggle with creating a comprehensive insurance umbrella which will never be able to meet the demands of the ever-increasing volume of health impairments.

- Popper insists that a plant-based diet is the surest and best pathway toward optimal health.

Dr. Popper may be one of the most intelligent humans I’ve had opportunity to learn from – an immense intellect, superb command of the subject matter, remarkable analytical skills, and excellent ability to articulate her knowledge.

If improved health is our goal, this book is well worth the time.