How Not to Die Book Summary and Review | BY MICHAEL GREGER

Michael Greger’s How Not to Die is a groundbreaking, evidence-based book that provides an in-depth look at the science behind leading a healthy lifestyle. Greger examines the effectiveness of different diet and lifestyle choices and offers a comprehensive plan for reducing the risk of life-threatening diseases. With the help of Greger’s expert advice, readers can learn how to reduce their risk of deadly diseases and live a longer, healthier life

How Not to Die Book Summary
How Not to Die Book Summary

Clinical nutrition is a medical specialty for Dr. Michael Greger. In addition, he is a New York Times bestselling author and a well-known public lecturer on the topics of nutrition, food safety, and public health. Fellow and a founding member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine is Dr. Greger. He holds a general practitioner licence with a focus on clinical nutrition. He received his degrees from Tufts University School of Medicine and Cornell University School of Agriculture.

As a diplomat of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine in 2017, Dr. Greger received the ACLM Lifestyle Medicine Trailblazer Award. He has always donated to charities all of the money he has made from his books, DVDs, and speaking engagements.

“I became aware of the sobering fact that factors other than science are at play in medicine. The fee-for-service healthcare system in the United States rewards quantity over quality by paying doctors for the drugs and treatments they prescribe. Our time spent educating patients about the advantages of a balanced diet is not compensated.

There would be a financial motivation to address the lifestyle causes of disease if physicians were compensated for performance. I don’t anticipate significant improvements in medical treatment or medical education unless the reimbursement model is changed. – Michael Greger, M.D.

American author Gene Stone is well known for the book “How Not to Die.” The Engine 2 Diet, The Secrets of Individuals Who Never Get Sick, and The Complete Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition are just a few of the books on health and wellness that Stone has produced. Also, he has co-authored other works with other writers, including “The Survival Handbook” and “The Cancer Survivor’s Guide.” Stone has experience as a writer and editor for numerous magazines and a background in journalism.

The Top 14 Deadly Illnesses

The major causes of death are addressed in How Not to Die, starting with the worst offender. We discover the elements linked to each disease. Afterwards, we discover methods to lower your risk of developing and passing away from each condition.

The book lists the following 14 diseases as the top 14 killers:

Heart condition
Cancer\ Diabetes
elevated blood pressure
Obesity
kidney illness
Stroke
liver illness
neurological conditions (including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s)
lung conditions (such as COPD and lung cancer)
intestinal ailments (such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer)
Osteoporosis
infectious conditions (such as AIDS and pneumonia)
mental health conditions (such as depression and anxiety)
Most deaths globally are brought on by these disorders.

Prevent Brain Diseases (Stroke and Alzheimer’s)

High blood pressure is a risk factor for strokes. Sirtuin is one of the greatest enzymes for preventing strokes. Nevertheless, advanced glycation end products inhibit sirtuin (AGE). The two foods with the greatest AGE contents are dairy and meat products.

To lessen your risk of having a stroke:

Make sure you are getting enough rest. The recommended amount of sleep to prevent a stroke is seven to eight hours. Stroke risk has been linked to both too little and too much sleep.
Foods high in fiber lower your risk of stroke. You lessen your risk of stroke by 7% for every 7 grammes of fiber you consume.
Consume your beans, sweet potatoes, and vegetables.

Potassium reduces the risk of stroke effectively. The potassium content of greens, beans, and sweet potatoes is very high. According to research, consuming 1640 mg of potassium daily can cut the risk of stroke by 21%.
Blood pressure can be lowered by citrus fruits. Hesperidin, which has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure and enhance blood flow, is present in high concentrations in citrus fruits. In the winter, hesperidin can make you feel warmer (because of the increased blood flow).

Alzheimer’s

Plaque buildup in the brain’s blood arteries is what causes Alzheimer’s disease. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may increase if you have a faulty ApoE4 gene variant. Nigerians, however, have one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease despite being the population most likely to have this faulty gene. Dr. Greger explains that this is because they consume substantially less animal fat in their diet.

In order to lessen your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Regular exercise If you already have Alzheimer’s disease, regular exercise can help you regain your cognitive function.
  • Consume saffron. According to research, the spice saffron is just as effective as donepezil, the most popular treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Donepezil is ineffective, nevertheless.
  • Increase your intake of cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, and grape juice. These foods include polyphenols, which can slow the ageing process of the brain.

Defend against digestive cancer

Again, consuming animal products is the major risk factor for developing digestive malignancies. Heme iron is found in meat. Heme iron levels are difficult for human bodies to control, thus extra iron might accumulate. Cancer has frequently been linked to excess iron.

Pancreatic cancer and animal fat are frequently linked. Plant-based fat, on the other hand, has not been connected to pancreatic cancer. According to studies, consuming just 50 grammes of chicken every day can up your risk of pancreatic cancer by 72%. Dr. Greger notes that the interaction between antibiotics and viruses in hens appears to be the primary cause of this connection. For instance, the average risk of pancreatic cancer is nine times higher for those who work in slaughterhouses.

  • Smoking is a substantial additional risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Smoking increases the risk of pancreatic cancer by double.

To lower your risk of developing intestinal cancer:

  • Consume a lot of berries, apples, citrus fruits, and veggies. These meals have all been linked to dramatically lower chances of developing digestive malignancies. Strawberries may be able to treat esophageal cancer if you already have it.
  • Consume enough of it. Constipation may result from insufficient fiber consumption. Moreover, fiber binds to chemicals like mercury and lead that have been linked to cancer.
  • Limit your iron intake. Phytates, which are primarily found in plant seeds and beans, can help your body get rid of extra iron. Extra iron can create cancer-causing free hydroxyl radicals.
  • take non-heme iron in. Dry fruits, nuts, and seeds are excellent sources of iron that don’t raise your chance of developing cancer.
  • Consume turmeric. You can lower your risk of gut cancers by consuming a tiny bit of turmeric daily. India has a substantially lower rate of colorectal cancer than the United States because of this.

Prevent Diabetes

Your blood can become abnormally fatty, which can affect how insulin works. Diabetes type two is what this is. Type two diabetes has been linked to diets high in saturated fat. This includes eating regimens that contain a lot of animal products. Beta cells that produce insulin are killed by LDL cholesterol. Only until the age of 20 do these cells begin to be formed. We shouldn’t harm them by consuming diets heavy in cholesterol, therefore.

One of the best methods for avoiding or treating diabetes is to reduce belly fat. However, consume a lot of beans rather than starving yourself. Legumes have a lot of calories and are quite satisfying.

Don’t merely cut back on meat consumption. Do not consume any animal products. According to a Taiwanese study, vegetarians have a 50–75% lower risk of developing diabetes than people who follow a traditional Asian diet that contains minimal fish and other meat. Also, Dr. Greger advises consuming whole grains like brown rice. There is evidence that whole grains lower the incidence of type 2 diabetes. White rice and other refined carbohydrates raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Keeping your blood pressure low

Blood pressure should not exceed 120/80. Systole, or when the heart is pumping, is 120. While the heart is at rest, it is diastolic, which is 80.

Salt is one of the main contributors to high blood pressure. 90% of human history has been spent with relatively little salt use. As a result, our bodies have developed salt-saving abilities. Our bodies boost blood pressure to expunge the extra salt when we consume too much of it. Salt-rich diets can also reduce artery blood flow.

The negative effects of too much salt can be offset by adequate vitamin C consumption. You can cut the risk of stroke by 22% and the number of strokes by 16% by not salting your diet.

Vegans have consistently been demonstrated to have the lowest blood pressure in the US. Even marathon runners with a regular American meat diet and 48 miles of weekly running have greater blood pressure than vegans.

To improve water retention and weight by about 20%, meat producers commonly add salt to their products. The following are the major salt sources for different age groups in America:

  • children eat pizza, people in their 20s to 50s eat chicken, and people over 50 eat bread.
  • Your blood pressure will drop if:
  • Every day, consume three pieces of whole grains.
  • Take flaxseeds in.
  • Change to wine without alcohol.
  • Sip some hibiscus tea.

Prevent Blood Cancer 

Leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are the three main subtypes of blood cancer.

When a person’s bone marrow creates an excessive number of aberrant white blood cells, leukaemia results. Healthy white blood cells are pushed aside by these aberrant white blood cells.

When lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, grow excessively, lymphoma develops. These white blood cells then gather in the person’s lymph nodes. Ineffective lymph nodes thus reduce the body’s capacity to filter blood.

Ultimately, aberrant plasma cells, another type of white blood cell, produce an excessive amount of antibodies, which causes myeloma. The kidneys get clogged by this surplus of antibodies.

Any blood cancer is frequently linked to chicken. An elevated risk of developing blood cancer of between 56 and 280 percent is linked to consuming merely 50 grammes of chicken every day. Regardless of how much poultry individuals consume, poultry farmers and butchers have considerably higher incidences of blood cancer, which is why Dr. Greger relates this elevated risk to poultry viruses.

Keeping blood cancer at bay:

  • Go plant-based in your diet. As a result, you’ll have lower cancer risk.
  • Often consume kale, cauliflower, and broccoli. The sulforaphane included in these cruciferous veggies is powerful against malignant cells. In contrast to chemotherapy, these vegetables do not destroy healthy cells.
  • Consume acai berries. Acai berries can kill leukaemia cells in a laboratory dish, according to studies.
  • Take antioxidants in. High quantities of antioxidants found in some vegetables are helpful in avoiding cancer. The amount of antioxidants in purple cabbage is the highest per dollar.

How Not to Die Book Review

How Not to Die, written by Michael Greger, M.D., is an eye-opening and life-changing book. The book outlines the twelve most common causes of premature death, such as heart disease and cancer, and provides research-backed strategies for preventing and reversing them. Greger’s evidence-based advice is easy to follow, simple to implement, and highly effective.

The book begins by discussing our current state of health, which is far from stellar. Greger then explains how many of these common causes of death can be prevented and even reversed through simple lifestyle changes. He provides detailed information on how proper nutrition, exercise, and rest can vastly improve our health.

At the heart of the book is Greger’s philosophy on healthy eating: a whole-food, plant-based diet. He outlines the evidence that this type of diet is not only healthier, but can even reverse disease. Greger also provides helpful tips for transitioning to a plant-based diet, and explains how to make sure you still get all the nutrients you need.

The book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in improving their health and living longer. Every topic is thoroughly researched and the evidence is clearly presented. Greger’s writing style is engaging and easy to follow, and he includes many helpful diagrams and charts.

If you’re looking to improve your health and eat better, How Not to Die is a must-read. It provides a wealth of practical information and advice, and is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in living a healthier life.

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