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11th out of 44 books
—
28 voters
Deep Nutrition
Deep Nutrition illustrates how our ancestors used nourishment to sculpt their anatomy, engineering bodies of extraordinary health and beauty. The length of our limbs, the shape of our eyes, and the proper function of our organs are all gifts of our ancestor's collective culinary wisdom. Citing the foods of traditional cultures from the Ancient Egyptians and the Maasai to t...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
November 14th 2008
by Big Box Books
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I almost gave this 5 stars but decided that the disagreements I had with it were just big enough to justify the demotion. I was about ready to put it up there with Nutritional and Physical Degeneration and Nourishing Traditions.
The books starts with great information on genetics and how diets turns genes off and on with epigenetic tags. I wished more of the book stuck with this line of information, as that is what I was expecting from the subtitle.
Next the author talks about beauty, mathematic...more
The books starts with great information on genetics and how diets turns genes off and on with epigenetic tags. I wished more of the book stuck with this line of information, as that is what I was expecting from the subtitle.
Next the author talks about beauty, mathematic...more
Another entry in my ongoing quest to find out why I feel like crap 80% of the time and why my hormones are all over the place. This is a good book - meticulously researched and totally eye-opening. I've been trying to add foods from the Four Pillars to my diet since I read this - it's not that hard, though I find fermented foods a bit of a challenge (not much of a fan of sour or sharp tasting foods). Bubbie's Sauerkraut is pretty good. I think I'll have to go back and read this again soon, becau...more
Shanahan posits a strong argument for adopting what she calls, “The Four Pillars of World Cuisine”, while simultaneously cutting out all products comprised of vegetable oils and sugars. Shanahan begins with an analysis of what the human family considers to be a universally beautiful face, that is, a face with symmetry. She argues that this type of symmetry comes from a long line of genes that have been nourished by natural foods. She provides a list of foods that she says will program your body...more
One of the most fascinating books I've read in a while. Everyone should be required to read this. You'll learn how nutrition affects beauty, why our teeth don't fit anymore, how genes (even really bad ones) can be flipped on and off, the myths and facts about cholesterol, why cooking with butter is far better for you than cooking with vegetable oil, what the healthiest, longest-living cultures have in common, and more.
Dr. Shanahan doesn't just say "sugar is bad" (we've known that since we were 8...more
Dr. Shanahan doesn't just say "sugar is bad" (we've known that since we were 8...more
Loved the author's explanation of the chemical (or alchemical) relationship between food and the body. Loved the whole divergence on phi, the Golden Ratio. Agree with some others who mentioned the difference between capitalism and the Free Market. She gets kind of strident about the unfairness of it all. At least she does not talk down to her reader, like the guy with the Genotype diet, who stops with the most simple explanation of epigenetics and does not discuss any of the reasons why some foo...more
As I'm finding with many of these books promoting particular eating plans (Atkins, Paleo, Good Carbs/Bad Carbs, etc.), the authors interpret research to support the theory they are discussing, with a few too many anecdotal and/or personal stories to illustrate the point. For example, I don't buy the fact that the one of the authors bad diets led to a chronic knee infection, which would not have happened if she had received better food as a child. Maybe yes, maybe no, but it is all supposition fr...more
Thoughtful, thought-provoking and approachable, Deep Nutrition presents a universe of ideas that possess the rarest of qualities: obvious and eye-opening at the same time. Cate and Luke delve into concepts of food as information for our genes, the relationship between the health and beauty of our bodies and the health and beauty of the environment in which they function, disease and nutrition, and the collective wisdom (which they term the Four Pillars) contained in traditional cuisines to deliv...more
This is one of the most common-sense books about nutrition and how to eat for health that I've read. She cites studies, explains how certain cells work, and then includes real-life examples of patients she's worked with.
It's also one of the more compelling reasons to not be vegetarian, and it offers a solution to why many (including me) became vegetarian in the first place. I wanted to be healthy, and I knew that something was terribly wrong with the "meat" offered at so many meals and restaura...more
It's also one of the more compelling reasons to not be vegetarian, and it offers a solution to why many (including me) became vegetarian in the first place. I wanted to be healthy, and I knew that something was terribly wrong with the "meat" offered at so many meals and restaura...more
Loved this book. The facial patterns section was interesting and fun, but the meat of the book, dealing with good and bad fats and the cholesterol farce, sugar, carbs, natural and traditional foods, beating genetics (or at least improving your stance), etc. were the best contributions. Her relational stories were current and meaningful. I dont agree with a few things - supplement with any vitamins (it's got to be a whole food supplement - not isolated, pharmaceutically produced products) and soy...more
This was a really thought-provoking book on nutrition. I had never heard of epigenetics before reading it - the idea that some human diseases come from gene expression rather than permanent mutation, and that gene expression can be controlled to some extent through diet. This book inspired me to try making bone broth in an attempt to improve my bone density - and lucky me, it came out tasting just like French Onion Soup (minus the cheese and bread, of course).
It's a well-researched book, althoug...more
It's a well-researched book, althoug...more
I liked the epigenetics part of the book - it almost made me put down my Christmas cookie to save my unborn children a lifetime of braces, poor stature and eyes too close together. Yes, I'm being a bit facetious - I truly enjoyed the connection of dentition to overall health, as a dental student after all. The author jokes with the reader, references her husband by name and talks about her experiences with the Filipinos in Hawaii - it made me feel like I was talking to an older sister or a well...more
An eye opening book written by a molecular biologist turned M.D. on how the foods we eat effect our bodies on a cellular level. Dr. Shanahan reveals that traditional foods (butter, whole milk, and...gasp!...meat) are exactly what our bodies need. By simply removing two things from our diets (vegetable oils such as canola oil and margarines, and sugar), and adding back traditional foods (like home made stocks, meats, dairy, soups, and fresh, local produce) we can strengthen our immune systems and...more
This book is an amazing read on nutrition, genetics, anthropology, history, medicine, metabolism, and traditional food preparation.
It explains why what you eat changes your gene expression and that most diseases are caused by faulty gene expression, NOT permanent genetic changes and that what you eat (or don't eat) can affect your family's genes for generations.
The basic food advice is the same as on the Weston. A Price website mostly, for anyone that can't afford the book. But this book offers...more
It explains why what you eat changes your gene expression and that most diseases are caused by faulty gene expression, NOT permanent genetic changes and that what you eat (or don't eat) can affect your family's genes for generations.
The basic food advice is the same as on the Weston. A Price website mostly, for anyone that can't afford the book. But this book offers...more
While the author isn't the best writer, this book's topic was amazing! I thought I knew a lot about nutrition, but this book took my knowledge even deeper - to the molecular level. Her hypothesis that what we eat impacts our genes is very interesting. Although much of her writing in this area is speculative, it's an interesting concept. Her discussion on the evils of sugar and vegetable oils was also interesting and better documented, although I did feel as if she was on the soap box continuousl...more
I really wanted to give this book 4.5 stars, because after a while the emphasis on making "perfect" babies and regulating births (albeit naturally) began to bother me. Her main point is well taken, though: the way that mothers eat directly influences their children's bone structure, including their teeth and the bones of the face (what we call beauty). Using Weston Price's anthropological research and current epigenetic studies, she provides an accessible analysis of why the modern diet is not j...more
Easily the most important book I've ever read, and as a UC Berkeley English major, former bookseller & former vegan - that's saying a lot. I wanted to run out and buy this for everyone I know. My boyfriend (a personal trainer) began eating according to the Four Pillars and his seasonal allergies DISAPPEARED. We couldn't believe it. This book kindly (and gently) showed me that everything I'd studied about nutrition and weight loss was wrong. Dead wrong (pun intended). As a health writer, I ta...more
Wow, very informative, in-depth research on why we need nutrition. Read it!
But I would say part of the book is quite vain. Dr. Shanahan studies ( a bit too much in
my opinion) the connection between superb health, intelligence, and beauty most of all.
Athought the research is there and may be accurate to a point, I don't agree
with the hypothesis that healthy people are necessarly beautiful or intelligent people are necessarly healthy or beautiful! Also, "Beauty" may be condensed down to a scien...more
But I would say part of the book is quite vain. Dr. Shanahan studies ( a bit too much in
my opinion) the connection between superb health, intelligence, and beauty most of all.
Athought the research is there and may be accurate to a point, I don't agree
with the hypothesis that healthy people are necessarly beautiful or intelligent people are necessarly healthy or beautiful! Also, "Beauty" may be condensed down to a scien...more
This is one of the best "food revolution" books I've read because assertions are justified with medical explanations. The science is not hard to follow but it makes sense. The first section of this book, I did feel at times, was irrelevant to me--it kept talking about the legacy we leave our children through our health (because of epigenetics and nutrition while they're in the womb). I just felt like, Oops, wish I'd known that! and Dang, no wonder I don't like looking in the mirror. :-) But the...more
This book is not only called "Deep Nutrition," but it is deep... very detailed and fascinating (if you like reading about health and nutrition.) I am only giving it 4 stars because sometimes it rambles. I highly recommend this to anyone concerned with optimizing their health, and particularly for anyone who struggles with being overweight or any other chronic condition. If you want to feel good, look good and avoid health problems as much as possible, this is a must read. You will learn things y...more
I had heard good things about this book and some if it I liked and agreed with. I'm trying to do lots of research so we can eat more in line with the word of wisdom. This lady is all about eating whole foods, and her suggestions on eating meat were good, but in her opinion we should all eat meat and organ meat every single day and I just don't see how that is in line with what the Lord has said.
She also had a whole section of the book that was on the Golden Mean in people's faces and how your nu...more
She also had a whole section of the book that was on the Golden Mean in people's faces and how your nu...more
If you are thinking about having children, read this book. It was absolutely fascinating and original from start to finish. I had to go back and read a couple chapters twice because I wanted to remember certain portions better so I could explain it to other people. It deals with subjects that are a little uncomfortable, but from a new perspective. Also, the writing was fantastic. It's told in a way that makes it easy to read what could have been a real bore.
WOW!! This book is a game changer. A must read.
I would just add that I think Fiber is a pillar of health and that while meat consumption can be healing - it's not in the amounts that most American's eat (in my estimate it is more like 5-20%).
Cross this book with fork vrs knives and add in Green Smoothy...
I would just add that I think Fiber is a pillar of health and that while meat consumption can be healing - it's not in the amounts that most American's eat (in my estimate it is more like 5-20%).
Cross this book with fork vrs knives and add in Green Smoothy...
I absolutely loved this book! How refreshing to see someone write a book about nutrition not based on junk science forced down our throats by the "low fat" industry. I suspect this book not being very popular due to the idea that beauty, along with health is more related to diet and nutrition that genetics. Not only your own diet and nutrition, but that of your mother, and her mother. Another book that I feel everyone ought to read. Since I am a fan, it should coke as no surprise this author is...more
The core principals are sound and this is the best explanation that I've seen (for the non-biochemist) of what trans fats do to your body. The explanations of AGEs were solid too. A lot of statements with cited studies, but then too many correlative statements that seemed a bit sensationalized. In general though, the four pillars sound like great advice to me, and they go a bit beyond just "eat real food", so they're already helping me.
I can't say I enjoyed the writing style and I found the opening chapters a bit fluffy - too many statements like "I believe", which don't instil a lot of confidence in the reader.
I did find that I learned quite a lot more about epigenetics than previously and the sections on the four pillars were very good, reinforcing my previous research on ancestral diets.
Overall a worthwhile book to read and rewarding for those interested in real nutrition.
I did find that I learned quite a lot more about epigenetics than previously and the sections on the four pillars were very good, reinforcing my previous research on ancestral diets.
Overall a worthwhile book to read and rewarding for those interested in real nutrition.
I actually didn't finish the book. I gave up out of frustration and annoyance. While some of the information in this book is good most of what I read is anecdotal or based on the highly questioned and disputed research of others. The author was also very obsessed with beauty and I was much more interested in the health benefits of traditional diets rather than whether or not eating like a Maori would have made my skin perfect and my teeth come in straight.
I really enjoyed the theories presented and i have to say I'm a little freaked out about the dangers within our food supply, processed especially. If even only a portion of this is accurate, it is a wake up call. My only complaint is I wish she had checked her politics at the door. I didn't bother finishing the book with the chapter on the medical business because I don't want to hear it.
Excellent book on how the standard American diet (SAD) contributes to heart disease, obesity and many other chronic illnesses. Also very good discussion on the new field of epigenetics and how the right diet or wrong diet can change our genetic expression.
I really liked the information in this book. Good mixture of scientific references and common sense. Won't be easy to incorporate some of the recommendations but I think it would be a good idea to try!
Extremely readable with a wealth of information. Anyone who is in the slightest bit interested in obtaining better nutrition, young women or expecting mothers needs to read this book.
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