The Cure for Everything: Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness by Timothy Caulfield

Sep 22, 2012 Lena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: medical

Timothy Caulfield is a Canadian health policy academic who took it upon himself to cut through the haze of popular information about wellness to get to the core of what we really do and don't know about our health.

In this well researched and readable book, he succeeds providing solid information about what things like exercise and diet can and can't do for the body and shows us how to focus on the actions that are really going to make the most difference in our lives, using himself as a humble a...more Timothy Caulfield is a Canadian health policy academic who took it upon himself to cut through the haze of popular information about wellness to get to the core of what we really do and don't know about our health.

In this well researched and readable book, he succeeds providing solid information about what things like exercise and diet can and can't do for the body and shows us how to focus on the actions that are really going to make the most difference in our lives, using himself as a humble and rather entertaining example.

In the process, he shines a laser beam on the mass of health misinformation we are exposed to on a daily basis. Despite considering myself fairly knowledgeable about health related matters, this book helped me to root out some false beliefs I'd absorbed from the zeitgeist I didn't even know I'd been holding.

In addition, the chapter on genetics was particularly valuable to me. I've been tempted to get my own genome sequenced to see what I might learn about my body, but Caulfield argues that, despite all the hype about how personal genetics is going to revolutionize medicine, we're just not there yet. While you might learn that you have an increased or decreased chance of getting a particular condition, the differences measured are so slight as to be practically insignificant. Even if they were significant, there's very little known action one can take to change those outcomes at this time, let alone evidence that such information would motivate us to take that kind of action in the first place.

Caulfield's book may not be a popular one because he makes no bones about the fact that, when it comes to the body, there are very few easy answers. But if you really want to lose weight, he will show you the best path for that. And if you really want the benefits of exercise, he explains what you should do and what you can and can't expect from it. Such a straightforward, no-nonsense pill may not be easy to swallow for those who've been sold on the false but ultra sweet promises of the multi-billion dollar quick-fix health industry, but it's certainly going to be a lot better for you.(less)

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Apr 12, 2013 Vegetarian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: social-culture, weight-loss, dieting, addictions, decisionmaking, human-fallibility, mental-health

Researcher Timothy Caulfield talks with experts in medicine, pharmaceuticals, health, and fitness, and even tries out many of the health fads himself, in order to test their scientific validity, dispel the myths, and illuminate the path to better health. However, he doesn't (in the index) cite PCRM or vegetarian or vegan diets (messages not twisted), AND HE DOES CITE VEGAN MD formerly FROM HARVARD Dr. Mark Berman on "optimistic bias" (tendency to overrate one's invulnerability to risks). NOTE th...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Cathy Douglas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, nonfiction-other

Maybe I had mistaken expectations for this book, but I was hoping for more science. Instead, it's written in a more self-helpish way than I would have liked. Part of this is the decision to forgo footnotes, instead putting all the actual studies and books Caulfield relies on in a long references section in the back of the book. (And I'm not kidding about long. When I finished the actual text of the book, my Kindle told me I was at just about 70%. The acknowledgments and index made up about 10% o...more Maybe I had mistaken expectations for this book, but I was hoping for more science. Instead, it's written in a more self-helpish way than I would have liked. Part of this is the decision to forgo footnotes, instead putting all the actual studies and books Caulfield relies on in a long references section in the back of the book. (And I'm not kidding about long. When I finished the actual text of the book, my Kindle told me I was at just about 70%. The acknowledgments and index made up about 10% of the book, and the references about 20%.)

He'll say something like "50% of your diet should be fruits and vegetables," without really saying where that comes from or what it means. Is that 50% of volume or calories? There's a big difference. Nor does he say how he came upon that number. Should someone whose diet is 60% vegetables eat less of the things? No idea. So though this is probably good advice for a lot of people, it's fuzzy science at best.

I liked the chapter on gene therapy/screening the best, because it's a field where Caulfield is personally involved. This was the only chapter in which I learned much of anything new.

I also liked the way he threw some personal quest into each of the chapters--to work out like a Hollywood star, see if alternative treatments could cure his motion sickness, etc. This wasn't very scientific either, as Caulfield admits, but it was entertaining and often enlightening.

In the alternative medicine chapter, I don't think he gave the practitioners a fair shake. He went for commentary almost exclusively to people who are publicly known as opponents of alternative medicine. For the other side, he relied on sources like websites and publications, rather than going directly to someone who endorses, say, homeopathy, and confronting them with evidence that the effectiveness of their modality is questionable. Personally I think the alternative health industry is almost pure bullshit, but it's more enlightening to go to the source in addition to their opponents.

So I sort of liked this book; it was interesting, and a fast read. I just think it could have been so much better.(less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Trish Paton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Caulfield takes a laudable approach here - he doesn't just collect, review and repackage "the info", he actually tests it out and reports on his experience as well as on the science. Too often we get biased info on the science (try the remedies chapter to be seriously depressed about medical, and especially pharmaceutical, research), testimonials without science for so many alternative treatments (diet, exercise AND remedies chapters), and hype across the board. So for a change, you get analysis...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Jodi Graham rated it 1 of 5 stars

Dear Mr. Caulfield,

I just recently finished reading The Cure for Everything and wanted to express some major concerns I have with the “Remedies” chapter.
With any book I choose to read, I always hope for an open and un-biased perspective, which this book regrettably did not have. There are many over-generalizations regarding alternative therapies, the most startling being that it is related to religion, myth and has only placebo effects. Comments such as “…lazy thinking underpines alternative med...more Dear Mr. Caulfield,

I just recently finished reading The Cure for Everything and wanted to express some major concerns I have with the “Remedies” chapter.
With any book I choose to read, I always hope for an open and un-biased perspective, which this book regrettably did not have. There are many over-generalizations regarding alternative therapies, the most startling being that it is related to religion, myth and has only placebo effects. Comments such as “…lazy thinking underpines alternative medicine…” and suggesting it’s a “…Yoda-ish view of the Universe…” are even more disturbing.

I wondered why your perspective was so extreme and one-sided….it borders on defensiveness. Then it was explained when I read that your wife and sister-in-law are doctors, your brother-in-law an orthopaedic surgeon and your neighbour a pathologist. Unfortunately you’ve allowed these relations to skew your point of view and shape your thoughts. Just because something is not science-based does not mean it won’t work. I could easily have mistaken this book for one written in the early 1900’s – have you not read the multitude of studies surrounding supplementation, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants vs. free radicals, EFAs, pesticides and GMOs, to name a few?
On what scientific research did you base the following comments:
- Homeopaths lie to clients
- Alternative practitioners don’t pay attention to research
- You “guesstimate” that 10% of alternative remedies are backed by research

Perhaps the “scientific” study of yourself taking homeopathic sleep and anxiety remedies was enough to convince you? Or perhaps these remedies didn’t work because you self-diagnosed and they didn’t fit your constitution? Have you studied homeopathy? On page 188 you also noted a study that states acupuncture is a placebo only – why are you quoting only one study? I believe you acknowledged (correctly) at the beginning of the book that meta-analysis is the best way to examine results?

I also just want to note another comment I found insulting, not to myself, but to all journalists: “…so-called journalists don’t know the [alternative therapy] area…..they can’t spell ‘complementary medicine’.” Wow.

I hope you’ll think more deeply and open your mind more before putting any other information out in the world.

Sincerely,
Jodi Graham
(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 AJ rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, do-not-own, nonfiction

The theme of this book is to look through all of the hype surrounding healthy lifestyles and see what science actually recommends. I saw it as sort of a mixture of Gina Kolata's books Ultimate Fitness and Rethinking Thin, at least as far as topic is concerned.

Caulfield first tackles the subject of fitness - what it means, and how to "get fit." To do this he speaks with personal trainers and reflects on his exercise experience as a sprinter and biker. I was hoping to see more of a critical look,...more The theme of this book is to look through all of the hype surrounding healthy lifestyles and see what science actually recommends. I saw it as sort of a mixture of Gina Kolata's books Ultimate Fitness and Rethinking Thin, at least as far as topic is concerned.

Caulfield first tackles the subject of fitness - what it means, and how to "get fit." To do this he speaks with personal trainers and reflects on his exercise experience as a sprinter and biker. I was hoping to see more of a critical look, or at least a bit of insight, into the papers he cites as scientific basis for his fitness thesis. I've read a lot of books about exercise, and many of the studies are faulty in many ways. It's difficult to determine what kind of exercise works for people, and many of the studies use small sample sizes of relatively fit men based on relatively strict metrics. Without explaining the studies to the reader, the reader is left to trust Caulfield implicitly, and my skeptical mind isn't convinced.

Caulfields thesis is that to get fit requires interval training mixed with a bit of resistance training. I agree that the consensus with weight training is to use heavy weights (not the "high rep low weight" mantra you hear all over the place) to build muscle. However, interval training is sort of a specific cardiovascular routine, and I think that prescribing it for all people regardless of their beginning fitness level or what their goals are is kind of foolish. For one thing, a completely sedentary individual should not look to start a life of fitness by doing 400 meter sprint intervals on a track; it makes more sense to start with short walks and maybe, if the individual is interested in running, make their way to a more tailored routine. For me, training for a marathon will include some interval training, but also long runs, base runs, hill runs, and tempo runs. Swimmers, bikers, skiiers, rowers and the like may have completely different goals. One thing you learn as a scientist is that there is never a one-size-fits-all solution, which is what Caulfield seems to believe.

Compared with the second part of the book, however, I thought the first was amazing. In the next chapter, Caulfield explores the science behind dieting. The first thing that absolutely annoyed me about this chapter was the implicit assumption that thin equals healthy. Nowhere in the book does the author look into debunking that false relationship. Recent research is showing that being healthy and thin are not related, and having a healthy lifestyle (which does not necessarily include being "thin") is more important than weight.

Second the author uses spotty evo-psych arguments that humans are hard wired into desiring flat abs... which sort of ignores the actual science of evolution and how that works.

Caulfield meets with a team of experts in the field of losing weight and goes on a calorie restricting diet. He loses weight, and is extremely excited with how simple it is, and exclaims that diets absolutely work, except that he feels hungry and miserable all the time. But it's worth it, because he lost 26 pounds! Of course, by the end of the book, the author does note that 95% of people gain back the weight, including himself, but that doesn't mean that diets don't work. Wait, what? If something doesn't work 95% of the time, how can you say that it's a success?

The third and last part of the book was about medication, both alternative and conventional. I would say that this section of the book was probably the most informed but least interesting. Science does bear out that homeopathy is not any more effective than a placebo. However, the author dismisses chiropractic techniques without looking into them (I honestly don't know if it works, but I would at least expect the author to look into it) and suggests that acupuncture might work. He then discusses the long and horrible saga of the pharmaceutical industry (without getting to in detail, which is best left for a different book) to note that even the "scientific" way that we currently use in North America to find relief and cures is not exactly scientific.

Ultimately, I would suggest skipping this book and reading Gina Kolata instead. She actually goes into the science with you, the reader, instead of asking you to take her on faith. And she doesn't come to conclusions such as "I lost 26 pounds, so diets work even though I'm miserable and am gaining back the weight as we speak!"(less)

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May 29, 2012 Rocky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book did exactly what I thought it would for me. Reinforced my feelings that people see, select and interpret health and fitness information through preconceived beliefs, values, previous outcomes, and fears.

As a data freak myself, I place the maximization on my health because in my lifetime I have, and continue to have numerous health issues. Some pretty major, some minor. Once you fall into that bucket, you tend to fight like a boxer and search for answers that work for you.

I inhaled eve...more This book did exactly what I thought it would for me. Reinforced my feelings that people see, select and interpret health and fitness information through preconceived beliefs, values, previous outcomes, and fears.

As a data freak myself, I place the maximization on my health because in my lifetime I have, and continue to have numerous health issues. Some pretty major, some minor. Once you fall into that bucket, you tend to fight like a boxer and search for answers that work for you.

I inhaled every sentence of this book and analyzed it for either a nano second or a few days. No matter how much health information I take in, I always go back to a saying my deceased father quoted "Everything in moderation." How my father got to be so smart is beyond me. He did not go beyond sixth grade yet he had figured out what his mantra was.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to look for more from Timothy Caulfield. Everyday he gets to work what I consider my dream job. Yes, I am that passionate about this topic.

If I could wave a magic wand, I would bring together both mainstream and alternative medicine practitioners and force them to start working together. I feel the two worlds working together could make a huge difference in better health for everyone.

Every human body is unique and deserves to be treated that way. What works for one person may not work for anybody else. Don't cookie cut yourself out of living healthier because somebody fed you bogus information.

While I do accept the data around placebo effects, statistics are just numbers and numbers have deviations. Be open-minded and surround yourself with all the information you can. Knowledge is power.

Know how studies are conducted. Control groups, etc. Sometimes its a process that needs to be tossed in the garbage along with the trash. My opinion.

In the meantime, I continue to be jaded, mistrusting and enormously disappointed in the health and fitness information we are fed each and every day. I am my own health care advocate and if I could make a living from it, I would be health care advocates for others. If monetary resources were not limited, I would personally be doing a lot of things differently in my life.

I received a complimentary copy of The Cure for Everything through Goodreads First Reads. Thank You!

Stay healthy!(less)

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Mar 02, 2012 Modern Girl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, health, non-fiction, science

It was greatly enjoyable and well written and made me think. But it definitely did not cover enough and it certainly did not cover everything. I would like liked to have seen an analysis and debunking of "superfoods" , more information on herbal supplements particularly Valerian root (St. John's Wort was mentioned and people usually mention these two as a pair).

Some ideas were criticized without evidence, and I want evidence. Please explain the difference between the "cleansing" and "detoxify"...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Lisalou rated it 3 of 5 stars

"Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition." - Adam Smith. In this book Timothy Caulfield attempts to find the science to look at the idea of being fit and healthy as well as genetic testing, CAM or alternative medicine and Big Pharma.

Looking at current research he discovers that while vigorous exercise like interval and strength training do provide you with a lot of health benefits, you will not lose weight from exercising. Moderate exercise is not enough to rea...more "Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition." - Adam Smith. In this book Timothy Caulfield attempts to find the science to look at the idea of being fit and healthy as well as genetic testing, CAM or alternative medicine and Big Pharma.

Looking at current research he discovers that while vigorous exercise like interval and strength training do provide you with a lot of health benefits, you will not lose weight from exercising. Moderate exercise is not enough to reap the benefits it has to be vigorous. "Toning" doesn't work either.

If you want to lose weight you need to reduce calories, period. Michael Pollan is right with his advice of "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." However, you should be aware that your genes are against you on this and you will need to work hard as you get older just to maintain your weight let alone lose it. However, there's no reason not to try.

Speaking of genes, genetic testing to determine your risk for diseases is mostly worthless unless you actually have an already discovered gene specific disease or chance of one.

Alternative medicine is well a load of hooey. He makes the case that things from alternative medicine that can be proven scientifically to work aren't any longer alternative. But really most things like Naturopathic medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture have nothing backing them up to prove they work and are more often than not based on faith than anything tangible.

While Alternative Medicine is based on faith big pharma is based on money.

In the end what is needed is the critical skills to cut through the twist whether it's the promise of 6 pack abs, losing weight quickly, predict your future through genetics, just believe you can heal yourself with this water that contains the memory of a molecule of what ails you or the latest drug ad. We all need to realize that there is no miracle cure for anything and that things are actually quite simple but not easy once your remove the twist. Like much of life.(less)

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May 31, 2012 Alexis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

There was a lot to like about this book. First off, the writer is from Edmonton, so there are lots of reference to researchers and writers from the U of A, which I really enjoyed. It's nice to read a book that references the city you live in.

I really enjoyed the debunking of fitness and food, but wasn't that thrilled about the section on genes, since I have to write about gene technology a lot for work. I also had a hard time with some of the facts that he gives in the book. He claims that yoga...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Glennie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, health

This was an interesting book. It debunked a lot of myths, however in places it is a bit dry to read. I do feel like I learned a lot. It's one of the few books that I've read recently that I actually took notes as I read, as I am interested in getting healthy.
A few quotes below:

Fitness is a commercial enterprise--designed to sell sex and flat abs. the emphasis on sex and sexines creates expectations that undermine the health goals associated with exercise.

People want to look good and they equate...more This was an interesting book. It debunked a lot of myths, however in places it is a bit dry to read. I do feel like I learned a lot. It's one of the few books that I've read recently that I actually took notes as I read, as I am interested in getting healthy.
A few quotes below:

Fitness is a commercial enterprise--designed to sell sex and flat abs. the emphasis on sex and sexines creates expectations that undermine the health goals associated with exercise.

People want to look good and they equate looks with health. The entire physical fitness industry is built on this reality. It is driven by aesthetics..

First cruel truth about exercise: It is incredibly difficult to drastically change your appearance thru exercise alone. Unless you have pharmaceutical help, like steroids or growth homrone, it requires a massive Olympian long-term commitment.

Recent research says excerics cannot be used as a principal means of weight loss. It is very difficult to exercise enough to lose weight. Diet is 80-90% of the weight loss equation.

Everyone puts on weight as they age. If you are keeping your weight constant, you are winning the battle. (I guess this should be my new goal! :P )

This is disputed, but some stuides show that exercise actually makes us eat more, especially for women, a CRUEL evolutionary twist. (I'll say!)

Another myth about exercise: You cannot "spot" reduce. You cannot "tone". You cannot lose fat in a particular region of the body by working that part of the body. You cannot lose stomach fat by doing sit-ups. You have to reduce your overall body fat percentage to see the progress.

You can get almost all the health benefits associated with fitness from strength traiing. This is not true of aerobic workouts.

I could go on and on with quotes, but I'll stop here. The book has a lot of references also. I found the diet and fitness chapters the most interesting. I wasn't as intested in the genetics and remedies chapters, but the genetics chapter did bring up a lot of interesting points that I didn't know. Again, this book is worth a read if you are interested in health issues.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Jacqueline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books

Knowing that the only way I am going to lose weight and keep it off is to eat under 2000 calories a day for the rest of my life and exercise like a madwoman is extremely depressing. There are no magic elixirs, dream diets, or other options. Even if I was going to subject myself to some kind of surgery the fat would just come back. What I should have done is NOT let the fat on in the first place. Sigh.

So, although this lays it out in a matter of fact way, and the news is disheartening, I figure a...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Kayne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was ok. I liked the distilled message that the only thing we all need to do to stay healthy is to exercise regularly and vigorously and eat lots of vegetables and fruits, not a lot of meat, and NO sugar, salt, or fats--easier said than done. Coffee? ok. Wine? Beer? ok. Well ALL RIGHT!

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Oct 31, 2012 A. rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a great book! I have to admit that the cover for this book is kind of cheesy looking and I did not expect much from the book. Thankfully I was very wrong! The author really does drill down and get to the heart of living a healthy life. His personal anecdotes make it very easy to relate to the difficulty of actually living that ideal healthy life.

This book tells it like it is and does not put up with any crazy stuff like acupuncture. He describes in detail why certain popular health crazes...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: happiness, health

We get a lot of health information these days. But what about the validity of that information? What should we do and not do to be healthy?

Caulfield takes on the task to find out what is really true and what is not true in health information. Much of what he tells us in this book is eye-opening.

Here's one example: It is hard to lose weight. You can't lose weight by just exercising; you must eat less food. And when you eat less food, your body metabolism slows. Making it harder to lose weight.

We...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Larry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting read for those health conscious attempting to come to grips with what keeps one healthy. The author attempts to debunk all the myths and misinformation that's prevalent in our society where healthy living or lack there of is one of the 21st century's greatest challenges. In an aging demographic with the younger generations being some of the unhealthiest on record there will always be a need for doctors and scientists to remind us what is at stake. Overall the author does a good job h...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book! Things I want to remember: moderate exercise is better than nothing, but vigorous/intense exercise is best. It should be hard to talk while exercising. Lift weights heavy enough to make 8-12 reps difficult. A good circuit (with no rest between sets): squat/lunge, benchpress/pushups, pull-down/rowing, deadlift.

- Exercise often with intensity (intervals work best), include some resistance training
- Eat small portion sizes, no junk food, and 50% of what goes into your mouth is a real fr...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Pjs_books Sather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pretty good--though I would have liked a bit denser book--it went by a little too quickly. That said, it was appealing and convincing--no magic, a real working out of what works and what doesn't. And a serious defense of quality science. Worth reading for good straightforward and efficient advice in what to eat and how to exercise. And what NOT to waste your time on. Kudos for taking on CAM. He lost me a bit with respect to drug company research. Surely the faults and biases exist, but it would...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

In a nutshell, I liked the distilled message written for the general public. While some reviewers seem to think the author could have delved more into the science, it would have obfuscated the main message- that the fitness/health/pharma industry is out to get your money with fads and gimmicks. Those who want more science can simply read the studies in the reference list. I do not; however, agree with the author's persistent idea that humans are evolutionarily predisposed to wanting "sexy abs" o...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Ruth Seeley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Can't believe I didn't review this right after I finished it.

This book is an absolute must-read, written in engaging and accessible prose. Spend $20 on this book and a few hours of your life reading it before you invest in a personal trainer, a weight-loss supplement, or a life coach (not that I'm equating all three categories!).

Caulfield debunks just about every relentlessly marketed myth from the diet and fitness 'industries' there is in this one - and he does it nicely (i.e. there's no Richar...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Yvonne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I very much identified with this book and found it very well balanced. I have worked as a research technician for 15 years at the U of A and have been left with a very bad feeling of the scientific integrity of people conducting research. My only comfort is that indeed the truth will prevail and that good science is worth fighting for. People in desperate situations do poor work. Science should be conducted independently by a team of researchers (Professors) for the best quality work. Thank-you...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: exercise-nutrition, read-in-2012

This book was a very clear, sane discussion of the science surrounding exercise and nutrition. He has a good sense of humor, and the book is well written. The chapter on homeopathy and the publication of studies went on a little too long, but overall I really enjoyed it.
What I liked most about it is that, after all his personal experiments, interviews and studies, he has a pretty no-nonsense approach to staying healthy: exercise and eat less. It's not rocket science.
This is a pretty quick read....more

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Jul 05, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recommend this book. Caulfield writes about all the things we're told to do to improve our health (diet! work out! acupuncture! homeopathy!) and does his best to separate the evidence from the hype. He's tough an alternative medicine (rightly, in my view) but he also does an excellent job discussing the biases that can creep into mainstream medicine, for example how drug companies bias the research that is conducted and published. It's an engaging read, with a good mix of data and personal sto...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: open-minded people

For me it was a hard read, mainly because I continuously agreed with the authors plea that I should trust nothing; so I did, including him. The author of this book plays the angle that states: everyone has an angle, its all about seeing the truth behind their lies, yet I found that much of the information, tips, evidence, and such that he provides is already out "there." Honestly, nothing surprised me and there was nothing with in the 269 pages that I haven't heard or read about already. That al...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Kate added it

Listen, I feel bad about it, but I strongly suggest everyone avoid this book. It's funny, and enlightening, but his discussion of current exercise research (spoiler alert -- most exercise is pointless) inspired me to skip the gym for a month. Now I'm five pounds heavier and I can't remember the combination to my gym lock. What does my experience say about the validity of all that exercise research? Or about human nature? I don't care. Just don't let this happen to you.

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Apr 23, 2012 Jacinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Very well written (I received an uncorrected proof as a Goodreads giveaway, and only found a few mistakes, usually not the case with proofs) and humorous. My opinion about the content is biased because I already agreed with what he says, especially about remedies, but the amount of research he put into his conclusions are apparent. I only have a couple very minor complaints. One, like others, I wish it were a bit more dense. I understand the motivation for keeping it brief and not making the boo...more

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Jan 14, 2012 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The answers that this author provides are simple but his explanations are intriguing. He supports his arguments with solid data while presenting it in a humorous and personal way (he takes the advice that he gives and reports on the results). I highly recommend this book for anyone who is open-minded enough to challenge the mainstream media when they promise an easy "quick-fix" approach to health and fitness.

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Feb 16, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a great book! Four chapters, full of common sense information supposed by science. He's preaching to the converted here - but I did learn a few new things - like stretching - not so important. Who knew? Loved the remedy chapter - even being a health care provider I have always been suspicious of both CAM and big pharma. The genetics chapter was my least favorite, but overall think this book is worth a read by anyone interested in health - and that should be all of us!

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Jun 10, 2012 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, wellness

Good review of the current health and fitness industries, from big pharma to fitness trainers. Amusing enough to keep me going through the more boring topics. I'm very familiar with these fields, and I thought the balance and judgement was, if depressing, correct.

One quibble was the title -- there is nothing in this book about happiness! I know authors may have little control over the title, but this is really inexcusable. I was looking forward to a review of the current research and thinking ab...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Cat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-don-t-own

Very good reporting coming to a simple conclusion about health and fitness: there is no miracle cure.

I expected basic message of the diet chapter - to lose weight, eat less - but got some good ideas from the fitness chapter. As someone who doesn't hold much truck with magic, the remedies chapter was mostly amusing.

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12850570-the-cure-for-everything?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333579448l/12850570.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12850570-the-cure-for-everything?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Cure for Everything: Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness by Timothy Caulfield[/url]

The Cure for Everything: Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness

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The Cure for Everything: Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness

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Books by Timothy Caulfield

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