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Own Your Health: How to Live Long and Avoid Chronic Illness
“This is a fabulous book! It’s filled with life-saving information presented with crystalline clarity. And as hard as this may be to believe considering this is a book about nutrition, it’s also side-splittingly funny. I found myself laughing out loud on nearly every page. This book is for you if you want to be healthy for the rest of your life — and if you don’t mind laughing a lot.”—John Robbins, Author of Diet For A New America; President, Food Revolution Network.
“Take Glen Merzer's wise nutritional advice, add Chef AJ's fabulous recipes, and you've got the formula for health.”—Dr. Neal Barnard, President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
"OWN YOUR HEALTH is one great book! It is engaging, thought-provoking, and persuasive. It’s different than a lot of vegan books—in a good way! The real hook for this book is Glen Merzer’s humor weaved through every page. As a special bonus, Chef AJ contributes an amazing set of recipes to live by. Glen and AJ are a dynamic duo, and the reader is the beneficiary!"—Brenda Davis, RD, co-author, Nourish and Becoming Comprehensive Edition; author, Kick Diabetes Essentials.
OWN YOUR HEALTH is the third book in a trilogy by Chef AJ and Glen Merzer. First, in UNPROCESSED (2011), CHEF AJ tells the personal story of her journey towards health, and makes the case for a diet of whole plant foods. Then, in THE SECRETS TO ULTIMATE WEIGHT LOSS (2018), Chef AJ, founder of The Ultimate Weight Loss Program, explains how to overcome food addictions and apply a knowledge of calorie density to create healthy eating patterns, enabling you to achieve your optimal weight. (Glen Merzer was Chef AJ’s writing partner for both books.) Now, in OWN YOUR HEALTH, Glen narrates his own journey to health, tells the stories of how his parents saved each other’s lives and how his wife Joanna overcame lupus, explains why the science of nutrition is more settled than you think, suggests the best way to deal with doctors, takes on some leading historic opponents of the plant-based diet, blows apart the silly and misguided attacks on “carbs,” and gives us an action plan to reverse the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, while obliterating demand for the kind of food-raising that risks future pandemics. Like the other books in the trilogy, OWN YOUR HEALTH boasts more than 100 delicious, vegan, whole-plant-food, oil-free, sugar-free, salt-free, gluten-free recipes (in the case of OWN YOUR HEALTH, 75+ of those recipes are from Chef AJ and 35 from other contributors).
Doctors are trained in treating illness with drugs and surgery. Most are not trained in how to keep you healthy. Medical schools ignore the subject of nutrition, implicitly sending the message to young doctors that it couldn't be very important. That's where OWN YOUR HEALTH comes in--to help you understand that the food you eat is likely to affect your health more than anything else.
"We highly recommend taking your health into your own hands today and truly Own Your Health for the rest of your life. This book will support you on this journey so that you can start reaping the benefits immediately!"—Alona Pulde, MD and Matthew Lederman, MD, NY Times Best Selling Authors, The Forks Over Knives Plan; Cofounders, Kinectin.com.
"OWN YOUR HEALTH is the funniest book on diet you'll ever read. And it's the diet that's right for the planet!"—Ed Begley, Jr., actor, environmentalist.
"Glen Merzer has written yet another essential book to add to your nutritional library. OWN YOUR HEALTH is loaded with important information about how you can actually take control of your health destiny. It features Merzer's dazzling wit, along with amazing recipes from legendary Chef AJ. A must-read!"—Jeff Nelson, Founder VegSource
"Own Your Health is a terrific read. Don’t miss it! And don't miss out on Chef AJ's latest and greatest recipes!"—Douglas J. Lisle, PhD, Founder of Esteemdynamics.com; Author, The Pleasure Trap.
“Take Glen Merzer's wise nutritional advice, add Chef AJ's fabulous recipes, and you've got the formula for health.”—Dr. Neal Barnard, President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
"OWN YOUR HEALTH is one great book! It is engaging, thought-provoking, and persuasive. It’s different than a lot of vegan books—in a good way! The real hook for this book is Glen Merzer’s humor weaved through every page. As a special bonus, Chef AJ contributes an amazing set of recipes to live by. Glen and AJ are a dynamic duo, and the reader is the beneficiary!"—Brenda Davis, RD, co-author, Nourish and Becoming Comprehensive Edition; author, Kick Diabetes Essentials.
OWN YOUR HEALTH is the third book in a trilogy by Chef AJ and Glen Merzer. First, in UNPROCESSED (2011), CHEF AJ tells the personal story of her journey towards health, and makes the case for a diet of whole plant foods. Then, in THE SECRETS TO ULTIMATE WEIGHT LOSS (2018), Chef AJ, founder of The Ultimate Weight Loss Program, explains how to overcome food addictions and apply a knowledge of calorie density to create healthy eating patterns, enabling you to achieve your optimal weight. (Glen Merzer was Chef AJ’s writing partner for both books.) Now, in OWN YOUR HEALTH, Glen narrates his own journey to health, tells the stories of how his parents saved each other’s lives and how his wife Joanna overcame lupus, explains why the science of nutrition is more settled than you think, suggests the best way to deal with doctors, takes on some leading historic opponents of the plant-based diet, blows apart the silly and misguided attacks on “carbs,” and gives us an action plan to reverse the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, while obliterating demand for the kind of food-raising that risks future pandemics. Like the other books in the trilogy, OWN YOUR HEALTH boasts more than 100 delicious, vegan, whole-plant-food, oil-free, sugar-free, salt-free, gluten-free recipes (in the case of OWN YOUR HEALTH, 75+ of those recipes are from Chef AJ and 35 from other contributors).
Doctors are trained in treating illness with drugs and surgery. Most are not trained in how to keep you healthy. Medical schools ignore the subject of nutrition, implicitly sending the message to young doctors that it couldn't be very important. That's where OWN YOUR HEALTH comes in--to help you understand that the food you eat is likely to affect your health more than anything else.
"We highly recommend taking your health into your own hands today and truly Own Your Health for the rest of your life. This book will support you on this journey so that you can start reaping the benefits immediately!"—Alona Pulde, MD and Matthew Lederman, MD, NY Times Best Selling Authors, The Forks Over Knives Plan; Cofounders, Kinectin.com.
"OWN YOUR HEALTH is the funniest book on diet you'll ever read. And it's the diet that's right for the planet!"—Ed Begley, Jr., actor, environmentalist.
"Glen Merzer has written yet another essential book to add to your nutritional library. OWN YOUR HEALTH is loaded with important information about how you can actually take control of your health destiny. It features Merzer's dazzling wit, along with amazing recipes from legendary Chef AJ. A must-read!"—Jeff Nelson, Founder VegSource
"Own Your Health is a terrific read. Don’t miss it! And don't miss out on Chef AJ's latest and greatest recipes!"—Douglas J. Lisle, PhD, Founder of Esteemdynamics.com; Author, The Pleasure Trap.
291 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2020
238 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Glen Merzer
33 books17 followersGlen Merzer grew up in Bellmore, N.Y., and was educated at New College in Sarasota, FL, Indiana University, Boston University, and the University of Alabama. His latest book is MOVING MEDICINE FORWARD, by Michael Klaper MD with Glen Merzer. Other recent books are FOOD IS CLIMATE, AMERICA GOES VEGAN! with recipes by Tracy Childs, and OWN YOUR HEALTH, with recipes by Chef AJ. He recently wrote and directed the movie Buddhist Blues.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 22, 2020
If you are a vegan, I do not know if much of the content in Own Your Health: How to Live Long and Avoid Chronic Illness will surprise you. The author is engaging and funny. He is not afraid to speak his mind regarding politics, animal agriculture, government subsidies, health insurance, junk food vegans and more.
While I am familiar with much of the content, the presentation (an early audiobook file) was highly entertaining, and Glen Merzer (and Chef AJ) have convinced me to examine the dietary tweaks that I can make to my (plant-based diet) for even better health.
While I am familiar with much of the content, the presentation (an early audiobook file) was highly entertaining, and Glen Merzer (and Chef AJ) have convinced me to examine the dietary tweaks that I can make to my (plant-based diet) for even better health.
November 12, 2020
Thought for Food
I’m a lifelong omnivore, but this book makes a compelling case to eschew the pleasures of the flesh. Although not himself a scientist, the author offers lots of scientific evidence that a plant based diet is the way to better health. His argument is peppered with personal anecdotes and laugh out loud humor, unexpected ingredients in a pro-vegan stew.
The second part of the book is a compilation of recipes by Chef AJ. Since I just finished reading, I haven’t yet tried any. They look simple, most with ingredients I like, and not scary. That’s a good start for a culinary cretin like me.
So overall, this book offers what may be a much needed one, two punch to the gut. It may hurt at first, but also may prolong your life.
I’m a lifelong omnivore, but this book makes a compelling case to eschew the pleasures of the flesh. Although not himself a scientist, the author offers lots of scientific evidence that a plant based diet is the way to better health. His argument is peppered with personal anecdotes and laugh out loud humor, unexpected ingredients in a pro-vegan stew.
The second part of the book is a compilation of recipes by Chef AJ. Since I just finished reading, I haven’t yet tried any. They look simple, most with ingredients I like, and not scary. That’s a good start for a culinary cretin like me.
So overall, this book offers what may be a much needed one, two punch to the gut. It may hurt at first, but also may prolong your life.
January 24, 2021
While the science of a whole food plant-based diet was sound, I didn't feel as if this would be a good book to convince someone to try this way of eating. It was very argumentative and felt to me like it was "preaching to the choir" rather than a rational argument for why this would be the healthiest choice for a person and for the planet. His personal stories were delightful and he definitely has a sense of humor which made the first part of the book quick and easy to read. With regards to the recipes, I think they would appeal more to people who are already eating this way than anyone trying it for the first time.
February 10, 2021
waste of money
The main theme of this book is to chriticize everyone in the health and nutrition industry. He has no qualifications in the medical field, the nutrition field or any other health issues. He's an author writing a book to make money. I'm amazed that Chef AJ would be part of this type of book!
The main theme of this book is to chriticize everyone in the health and nutrition industry. He has no qualifications in the medical field, the nutrition field or any other health issues. He's an author writing a book to make money. I'm amazed that Chef AJ would be part of this type of book!
June 28, 2021
Dint like it ! Thought it would be very good but nope so 2 stars it is...
May 17, 2022
I wish I could give this book a higher rating. The author has a great wit which kept me engaged, so I really enjoyed reading about one of my favorite topics: why minimally processed, plant-based, low-fat foods are better for our health and for the planet. The author gave an excellent overview of macronutrients (though by not distinguishing between complex and simple carbohydrates he made his case for "carbs" far more difficult than it needed to be). More of a discussion of the importance of fiber (keeping deteriorating matter in one's gut for more than 24 hours contributes to an unhealthy shift in the microbiome living there), and the huge breakthrough in understanding the importance of nitric oxide in slowing or even reversing cardiovascular disease could have been expanded.
I am sympathetic to the author's criticism of the U.S. medical model: I worked in hospitals for over 20 years, and then went through the roller-coaster experience of being a client of an inattentive, burnt out physician. Merzer's assessment of the misdirection of current national medical practice matches my own experiences. "Health"---the absence of disease---surely ought to be a higher priority than "healthcare"---trying to clean up the mess of disease, with medical, insurance, and pharmacologic industries very willing to profit from those of us in health crisis, sometimes offering nonsense solutions. Wouldn't it be better if we just stopped making ourselves sick? Oh. But then there'd be less profit for those industries...
In my experience Mr. Merzer was exactly on target sharing his dismay with the uneven quality of medical competency in the U.S., and medical practitioners' nearly total lack of basic nutrition education.
(My experience was passing out from orthostatic hypotension when taking several different antihypertensive drugs over two years. I had a concussion, black eyes, severe head bruising, and a separated shoulder as a result, until I finally refused to try yet another drug, and refused statins. ONLY THEN did the doctor's PA advise me on how to tweak my nearly-vegan diet: thanks to her advice, my BP is now normal, and HDL, LDL and total cholesterol dropped dramatically within 3 weeks. I am off all meds. There seems to be a tacit belief that American clients are unwilling to make healthful changes in their lives, so doctors offer a pill instead. Not me, man.)
I was also glad that the author pointed out the profiteering lobbying industry that channels "farm" subsidies to the meat and dairy industries. (Could've included how farming for the meat and dairy industry created a huge surplus of corn, and so "high-fructose corn syrup" was introduced into the already abysmal American diet.)
But I was disappointed by the ranting tone that dominated several parts of the book. A little more respect for diverse views (e.g., religion) would have been appreciated. I wish the author had chosen to go even deeper into health and nutrition studies, keep the ecological urgency as well as the fallacies of our current medical healthcare industry, but handle the political issues more gently, or even leave them out. Issues such as Obamacare aren't even on most people's radar in 2022. We have so many dog whistles shrieking at us today. A focused, consistently friendly approach to the simple message of good health and good stewardship of our resources might have been more convincing.
I still have to try out the recipes. There is a lot of reliance on air fryers and Instant Pots. Alternative ways to cook for people without the means or space for those handy but expensive tools would have been welcome. The same flavor combinations kept showing up in dressings and dips: balsamic, mustard, perhaps a sweetener with lime or lemon. Been there, done that. The same spice brands kept showing up, none of them locally available and not all of us want to rely on Amazon. But there were some great ideas for using cauliflower in sauces. Looking forward to trying the pizza crust too.
All in all, an enjoyable read, and the recipes are a great addition.
I am sympathetic to the author's criticism of the U.S. medical model: I worked in hospitals for over 20 years, and then went through the roller-coaster experience of being a client of an inattentive, burnt out physician. Merzer's assessment of the misdirection of current national medical practice matches my own experiences. "Health"---the absence of disease---surely ought to be a higher priority than "healthcare"---trying to clean up the mess of disease, with medical, insurance, and pharmacologic industries very willing to profit from those of us in health crisis, sometimes offering nonsense solutions. Wouldn't it be better if we just stopped making ourselves sick? Oh. But then there'd be less profit for those industries...
In my experience Mr. Merzer was exactly on target sharing his dismay with the uneven quality of medical competency in the U.S., and medical practitioners' nearly total lack of basic nutrition education.
(My experience was passing out from orthostatic hypotension when taking several different antihypertensive drugs over two years. I had a concussion, black eyes, severe head bruising, and a separated shoulder as a result, until I finally refused to try yet another drug, and refused statins. ONLY THEN did the doctor's PA advise me on how to tweak my nearly-vegan diet: thanks to her advice, my BP is now normal, and HDL, LDL and total cholesterol dropped dramatically within 3 weeks. I am off all meds. There seems to be a tacit belief that American clients are unwilling to make healthful changes in their lives, so doctors offer a pill instead. Not me, man.)
I was also glad that the author pointed out the profiteering lobbying industry that channels "farm" subsidies to the meat and dairy industries. (Could've included how farming for the meat and dairy industry created a huge surplus of corn, and so "high-fructose corn syrup" was introduced into the already abysmal American diet.)
But I was disappointed by the ranting tone that dominated several parts of the book. A little more respect for diverse views (e.g., religion) would have been appreciated. I wish the author had chosen to go even deeper into health and nutrition studies, keep the ecological urgency as well as the fallacies of our current medical healthcare industry, but handle the political issues more gently, or even leave them out. Issues such as Obamacare aren't even on most people's radar in 2022. We have so many dog whistles shrieking at us today. A focused, consistently friendly approach to the simple message of good health and good stewardship of our resources might have been more convincing.
I still have to try out the recipes. There is a lot of reliance on air fryers and Instant Pots. Alternative ways to cook for people without the means or space for those handy but expensive tools would have been welcome. The same flavor combinations kept showing up in dressings and dips: balsamic, mustard, perhaps a sweetener with lime or lemon. Been there, done that. The same spice brands kept showing up, none of them locally available and not all of us want to rely on Amazon. But there were some great ideas for using cauliflower in sauces. Looking forward to trying the pizza crust too.
All in all, an enjoyable read, and the recipes are a great addition.
April 21, 2021
I am extremely interested in health and wellness and really love learning about lifestyle modifications. This book really annoyed me. If you want to read a book about a Vegan ranting about why he thinks any other lifestyle is completely wrong and un-human, then this is your book.
While I completely respect people following a vegan diet, I do not believe this is the end all be all of society. He makes a lot of valid points, but I couldn’t take this book seriously because every statement was polluted with his opinions. I prefer to let the facts speak for themselves.
I truly believe that we need to go to a mostly plant based diet for the earth and for the health of man kind, but I don’t think the vegan life is right for everyone nor is it the diet of all prehistoric ancestors. There’s a reason humans started eating meat 2.6 million years ago. We can’t ignore that fact.
While I completely respect people following a vegan diet, I do not believe this is the end all be all of society. He makes a lot of valid points, but I couldn’t take this book seriously because every statement was polluted with his opinions. I prefer to let the facts speak for themselves.
I truly believe that we need to go to a mostly plant based diet for the earth and for the health of man kind, but I don’t think the vegan life is right for everyone nor is it the diet of all prehistoric ancestors. There’s a reason humans started eating meat 2.6 million years ago. We can’t ignore that fact.
June 28, 2021
I would give this book 5 stars, except there’s a political rant at the end about health insurance - which makes sense in a lot of ways, but at the same time seems out of place somehow. He also mentions the first sin wasn’t eating an apple, but eating an animal. A flippant remark from someone who just doesn’t care to understand/believe the Bible, or at least who can’t take it seriously. There’s also tons of Mumbo jumbo about how we evolved from apes, and scientifically that’s just a bunch of crap as well. The majority of the book is great, filled with lots of good info about the science behind why eating animals/animal products is just plain bad for us. His writing style is entertaining, and there are several good recipes in the back. Worth reading if you’re interested in improving your health…just be ready to skim a couple paragraphs about evolution and skip the chapter at the end.
May 30, 2021
Great recipes!
This book leads with evidence for the whole food plant based diet. Unfortunately the author chose to bash Christians in the process. His misfortune to be so narrow sighted. There are plenty of us Christians onboard with the whole food plant based diet. However, the book still deserves a 5 star rating. I believe we are a society that does not see ourselves as being accountable for our own health and many would prefer to have the government provide for them, even blind-sighted to the false advertising of what they should eat. Kudos for the outstanding recipes!
This book leads with evidence for the whole food plant based diet. Unfortunately the author chose to bash Christians in the process. His misfortune to be so narrow sighted. There are plenty of us Christians onboard with the whole food plant based diet. However, the book still deserves a 5 star rating. I believe we are a society that does not see ourselves as being accountable for our own health and many would prefer to have the government provide for them, even blind-sighted to the false advertising of what they should eat. Kudos for the outstanding recipes!
March 2, 2021
Honestly I was highly skeptical of yet another "health book" since I read so many, but this one had me laughing at the author's wit, and still made me pause to consider the points he was driving home.
Eloquent and brilliant. Best condensed book on health, nutrition, and public policy I've ever read. Half the book is easy-to-follow recipes that taste fab. 👌 So with a price point of $18, is a no brainier. Seriously recommending this book to everyone I know.
Eloquent and brilliant. Best condensed book on health, nutrition, and public policy I've ever read. Half the book is easy-to-follow recipes that taste fab. 👌 So with a price point of $18, is a no brainier. Seriously recommending this book to everyone I know.
March 5, 2022
Great book for those thinking about becoming a vegan I'm sure. For some reason I had hoped it would be more for vegans trying to improve the quality of their vegan diet. There was some of that in there, but mostly it seemed to be about converting in general.
January 6, 2021
Excellent easy read describing your need to become a healthy vegan. The second half of the book is full of Chef AJ’s recipes.
January 19, 2021
Audio.
It’s deftly persuasive at times and too preachy at others...and I’m already following his recommendations!
It’s deftly persuasive at times and too preachy at others...and I’m already following his recommendations!
January 19, 2022
Certainly enlightening about being a vegan or vegeterian. I'm switching in hopes of lower inflamation and better health.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews