Body on Fire: How Inflammation Triggers Chronic Illness and the Tools We Have to Fight It

by Monica Aggarwal, Jyothi Rao

In Body on Fire (a newly updated revision of Finding Balance) Drs. Monica Aggarwal and Jyothi Rao help readers make an honest assessment of their energy, lifestyle, dietary habits, and mental state and provide a series of interventions for reclaiming health. They present in-depth explanations of the dangers of stressors on the body such as sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, and poor sleep habits. Specific plant-based foods that reduce harmful inflammation and nurture healthy digestive organisms are identified. Tools are provided to improve sleep habits, increase activity levels, and achieve adequate hydration. Techniques to increase the mind-body connection are discussed, the benefits of intermittent fasting are covered, and the importance of the microbiome and the impact of the gut on overall health is explored. Each chapter includes recommendations and action steps. This book is a prescription for restorative health and a roadmap to a stronger, healthier, more vital state of being.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Medicine, Audiobook, Medical

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 18, 2020

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good book on inflammation and how it affects so many systems in the body. None of it was new information to me but I read a lot on the topic. Much of the advice is the standard -- reduce stress, get enough sleep, cut out refined carbs and sugars, exercise, etc. but it is very thorough. It is written from a plant-based perspective so there is a focus on giving up all animal products too. It's one of the better resources on inflammation that I've read recently and I appreciate that it was written by medical doctors.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

[Leslie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are someone who lives with chronic pain and illness, especially someone who's newly diagnosed, this could be an informative book for you to check out.

The authors are doctors, and they lay out ways the reader can help lower inflammation, a driving force behind many chronic pain conditions. Thus far, it's largely been holistic doctors who discuss this, but some conventional doctors are starting to acknowledge it, as well, including the importance and impact of sleep, stress, hydration, etc.

For someone who has lived with chronic pain and illness for some time, this information will likely not be new. Items are presented in a clear manner, and it's not preachy, so it could be helpful for those recently diagnosed.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Bookgrrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many of us go to the doctor for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insomnia, depression, etc., and are given a pill to make it go away? Well the goal of this book is to make us honestly assess our lives, and take some responsibility for our choices. Poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, and poor sleep habits are stressors to the body that cause inflammation. This book goes over ways to improve those poor habits, thereby decreasing inflammation and helping your body heal itself. Each chapter is presented in a clear and concise manner. One of the things that I really liked is that the book isn’t too preachy in its message. The author’s acknowledge that change can be difficult, and also acknowledge that even small changes are a step in the right direction. This is a pretty short and easy read and I would recommend it for pretty much anyone who is experiencing health issues. It certainly won’t cure everyone, but it could definitely help some of us.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Chris Worthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clear, succinct introduction to how to fight inflammatory conditions and improve overall health with lifestyle changes. The doctors bring their personal experience and passion to this work, giving practical steps and evidence-based details that can benefit any reader. The best part: this information gives patients agency over their health. Lifestyle medicine works!

[Kivalina Mauck · Rating 3 out of 5]

#NetGally,#Monica Aggarwal,MD
#Body on Fire. I guess since I been in Cronic pain so long I should have known I was not going to find help in a book. I read this book because of all my nerve dammage. I was in hope of learning something new. However there are some this book will be good for. Just not me.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of useful information, but it’s not anything new; give up sugar and refined carbs. I feel like I’ve read several books in the topic and they basically all say the same thing. For anyone who is new to reading about chronic illness and inflammation, I imagine they would probably find this book helpful.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an ARC.

[Michele Pfaff. Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s an interesting book but nothing new: give up meat, sugar and refined carbs.

[Jan Peregrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indian American medical doctors Monica Agarwal and Jyothi Rao, a cardiologist and internist, have written an excellent book for helping us to become or remain healthy. Called Body On Fire: How Inflammation Triggers Chronic Illness and the Tools We Have to Fight It, the women take on America's worst, most persistent disease killers brought on by inflammation. They address the problem with a plant-based diet, hydration, adequate sleep, exercise, the mind-body connection found in yoga, an optimistic viewpoint,and intermittent fasting that they both enjoy.

I've read many of these kinds of health books, having been loving a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle for nineteen, healthy years, and this book seems to cover almost everything you need to know for recharging your life and adding health to your years.

Dr. Aggarwal came down with rheumatoid arthritis shortly after having her third child in her thirties. She had been trying to do it all as a doctor, mother, and wife, but it caught up with her.

After adopting a plant-based diet, yoga, and lifestyle changes, she returned to work without pain or disability. She didn't need medication anymore. Even better she could start really helping her heart patients by putting them on the same protocol, although more gradually and by recommendation. For years she wondered why drugs weren't enough to help them for long term. Now she understands that drugs must be used with lifestyle changes.

The other doctor has not had such a health crisis, but has witnessed how healthy Dr. A has become. When growing up in southern India she wanted to become like her physician grandfather who was always making house calls and saving lives.

I don't have much criticism.

The doctors thoroughly explain that inflammation is a consequence of eating even a little food from animals too often and it'll take a few months of a primarily plant-based diet to restore gut bacteria diversity, motility, and harmony. They prefer that you eliminate all animal foods as they do. This reminds me that when I became vegetarian many decades ago, I naturally took three months for the transition to make it easier on my body.

If there's one thing I wish they had done, it's an even more lengthy look at spices for their superb role in eliminating inflammation, regulating body processes, and ensuring better health.

I will also note that they wrongly believe that we get rid of toxins in our sweat, but that's a very common myth. It's only our kidneys that eliminate toxins from our bodies, although sweating is very important for cooling us down.

Maybe in their next book they will include recipes and a meal plan, but I will not use cane sugar or olive oil as they prefer in moderation. I hope you'll enjoy their very well-researched book!

[Dana Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

I enjoyed the book I have inflammation problems. Dr don't listen just want to give meds so it was good for me to read this

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good self help book. I'd probably give a 3.5 rather than 4 though.

It's a well thought out and thorough book, and I think if you have just been diagnosis with a chronic health condition this book is a good place to start. It gives you a lot of information, which in the least is helpful, from changing your diet to exercise.
But, it does depend on what your chronic illness is, exercise can make some worse. So perhaps they needed to expand better on that.
Not all chronic illness is caused by stress either, the book describes that there is two types of stress 'Eustress' and 'Distress' basically good stress and bad stress, and these trigger your chronic stress response, then you get chronic illness. Somehow for many of us its just that not simple.
Though we must live by the rules of optimism, I think that applies to everyone. We must recharge, I think more often than not we have forgotten how to do this, especially with the pressures of modern society and family life. We must and should take time for ourselves, recharge our bodies with good healthy food, rest, sleep, laughter and play.
One last thing I would like to point out about the book, it mentions about the herb Rosemary and how we should be using it. There is no cautions for it, why I wonder? When it can bring on epileptic seizures, which is a chronic health condition......
However, it is, well written and very informative book, with lots oh health and dietary information in.
buy from our bookshop https://uk.bookshop.org/a/6117/978157...

[Bookgrrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many of us go to the doctor for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insomnia, depression, etc., and are given a pill to make it go away? Well the goal of this book is to make us honestly assess our lives, and take some responsibility for our choices. Poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, and poor sleep habits are stressors to the body that cause inflammation. This book goes over ways to improve those poor habits, thereby decreasing inflammation and helping your body heal itself. Each chapter is presented in a clear and concise manner. One of the things that I really liked is that the book isn’t too preachy in its message. The author’s acknowledge that change can be difficult, and also acknowledge that even small changes are a step in the right direction. This is a pretty short and easy read and I would recommend it for pretty much anyone who is experiencing health issues. It certainly won’t cure everyone, but it could definitely help some of us.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Donya Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were so many things I learned when reading this book. I read this in one setting, start to finish. It was recommended to me by a friend who knew I was having difficulty with my gut health. Even though the text itself was geared towards inflammation, I found incredible tips on how to improve my own life. Symptoms I experienced and attributed to weather and exhaustion were all actually directly related to what I was eating. Would definitely recommend. Rao and Aggarwal are the dynamic duo when it comes to mindful eating.

[Sharon Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with fibromyalgia I was eager to read this book and I wasn’t disappointed.
I am quite knowledgeable on the topic of inflammation and it’s effect on the body but found this informative and evidence based.
Recommended particularly for those new to the subject.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
4 Stars ⭐️

[Mayah]

I really enjoyed the chapters talking about yoga and optimism! I think that added some great perspective and was different from other WFPB books.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body on Fire: How Inflammation Triggers Chronic Illness and the Tools We Have to Fight It by Monica Aggarwal, MD & Jyothi Rao, MD
Publisher: Healthy Living Publications
Genre: Health, Mind & Body
Release Date: September 1, 2020

Body on Fire by Monica Aggarwal, MD & Jyothi Rao, MD is an in-depth guide on how inflammation affects the body and what you can do about it.

I found this to be an exceptional resource on inflammation. For the past year, I have been working to improve my gut health through supplements and I'm so grateful for the improvements I've felt overall to my body. I used to suffer from chronic pain and I feel, because I reduced my overall inflammation in my body, I'm not in pain anymore.

I really enjoyed taking this deep dive into inflammation and what other things I can do to lessen the inflammation in my body. I look forward to implementing some of these tips and seeing what improvements I experience.

This is a great resource for someone who is looking to improve their overall wellbeing! I definitely recommend reading this!

I'm so grateful to Monica Aggarwal, MD & Jyothi Rao, MD, Healthy Living Publications, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[J.T. Langlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10

i loved it’s deep dive into how inflammation can damage the systems in our body and how to combat them.

However, it was a lot more of an emotional rollercoaster than I expected going into this. It began very educational of course and went on about our biology. They got a little touchy when they briefly brought up cutting foods out of the diet - some of the wording seemed a little harmful. However, returning to the book after a quick break was needed because they quickly began exploring healthy additions to the diet along with non-diet related things to reduce inflammation like running, yoga, hydration and sleep.

What started a little stressful became a bit inspiring and as a result I’m working on cutting red meats out of my diet and smoking less!

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

I found this to be a very informative helpful book on educating myself about the science behind inflammation. i like that the author focuses on science of diet and how a plant based vegan lifestyle can ease inflammation to our bodies. There is much science to back this up and it is clearly the right path to better health and less inflammation. As a vegan I can attest that the way you eat does make a remarkable difference in your health.

I recommend this book for all who suffer from inflammation and are seeking improvement in their health. Very well done to the author.

[Donya Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were so many things I learned when reading this book. I read this in one setting, start to finish. It was recommended to me by a friend who knew I was having difficulty with my gut health. Even though the text itself was geared towards inflammation, I found incredible tips on how to improve my own life. Symptoms I experienced and attributed to weather and exhaustion were all actually directly related to what I was eating. Would definitely recommend. Rao and Aggarwal are the dynamic duo when it comes to mindful eating.

[Jim Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.

Fairly in-depth discussion of the root causes of many chronic illnesses and how to avoid them through diet and lifestyle. Lots of focus on whole food plant-based eating, as well as bits on yoga, meditation, exercise, and the like.

There were times when the writing itself was a little awkward, but it wasn't awful, and the information was solid, so the not-always-fantastic writing wasn't a deal breaker.

Worth reading, especially for those who may be new to plant-based/healthy eating.

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, empowering book. I am grateful for the branch of functional lifestyle medicine that has more to offer us than pills and palliative care to treat symptoms, and that looks to understand (and tackle) the underlying causes of chronic illness, pain, and fatigue. It is empowering to learn from these qualified, highly trained authors which lifestyle factors can harm and which can heal, and to be able to use this knowledge to optimize health and well being.

[Georgette Curay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very interesting book! Somewhat clinical, but packed with good information. I listened to the audiobook and the info was delivered very well, not sure I could have gotten through reading all that due to the unfamiliar terms and complexities. Recommend if you want to better understand how important the gut is, and what you can do to improve your health and hopefully extend your life!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot, especially that it’s not any one thing that can heal. Many things are important and all work together. The authors cover a lot and take a holistic viewpoint. I appreciated their own stories.

[MNBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors presented well cited evidence for reducing inflation in the body. The dietary changes may be hard to stomach (pun intended) as the western diet is basically full of everything we shouldn’t eat. I was excited to see a wholistic approach with this book that goes beyond diet and exercise.

[H C]

Bshsukabg shs8w shusby dh7 shsus

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

No new info

I enjoyed reading this book to get into the right frame of mind to change eating and lifestyle habits, but it wasn’t information that I didn’t already know.

[Paul Bard · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. Good general info on lifestyle interventions to decrease inflammation.

[Cinthia Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good!

[Cindy Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knew much of what is written. But this brings in other parts known to be seen collectively. Very interesting tead

[Lily Heron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for personal interest.

[Risa Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read about how diet, stress, and our lifestyles contribute to our chronic diseases. Good advice from two doctors on how to improve all of these.