This is NOT about a diet. Which is what all the diet books say, I know, I know. I believe this truly is the exception, focusing on nutritional excellence, disease prevention, and backed by serious research.

If you ever had a suspicion that there was something really wrong with a 100-calorie portion pack of cookies getting a "thumbs up" from your weight loss group leader, or felt kind of freaked out that a doctor was recommending several months of protein shakes laden with fake sweetener, then this dose of reality will be an enormous relief and sanity saver.

I call Dr. Fuhrman a "nutritional bad-ass" because he doesn't construct a plan in order that the largest number of people would be able to adhere to it; rather he constructs a plan that will give you maximum nutrition - even when that is not the easiest thing to adhere to. That said, he describes what to expect (taste buds that alter to prefer the healthier choices, detox symptoms that resolve damage if you ride them out) and, again, backs it up with completely solid evidence.

I admire how he doesn't fear big pharma or the FDA but just speaks truth. It resonated with me completely when he called the Standard American Diet "perverted" - it is! And there's not a single reason to not grab optimal health. It is subversive and awesome.