★★★★★ 5
Paleo Perfected - With the Science to Back It Up!
Format: Hardcover
After experimenting with other versions of the paleolithic-based diet, I was happy to finally come upon Paul and Shou-Ching's book, The Perfect Health Diet. It's a scholarly treatment of a complex subject, but presented in a way that's easy to follow and understand. It combines the best parts of old-time wisdom with cutting edge science to lay out a lifestyle and an approach to health that treats the body holistically.
The authors systematically lay out the scientific and evolutionary basis for their approach to health. The fact that they both suffered from serious medical conditions - which were cured by taking this new approach - lends a great deal of sincerity to the writing. In a logical, orderly fashion the book walks through the basis for the diet, then tackles each of the major energy sources (proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Once that groundwork is laid, they address the hidden toxins that are present in most of the foods that comprise the Standard American Diet (SAD - a rather appropriate acronym) and help the reader understand HOW the foods contribute to poor health.
Throughout the book, the authors use simple but effective "call out" boxes to highlight some key science behind the diet. They also sprinkle in just the right amount of reader testimonials to highlight how their lives were changed by following the Perfect Health Diet. Those examples are placed in just the right spots so the reader can see how the concept being discussed relates to real people in the real world. The inclusion of a Takeaway at the end of each chapter helps tie all the concepts together perfectly.
My only complaint is that they use the word "diet" in the title. While they use it in the academic sense (i.e., the foods that you habitually eat to provide sustenance), too many people only think of "diet" as a restriction in your food intake to promote weight loss. I prefer to think of the authors' book as a "lifestyle", rather than simply a prescription for changing your food intake. That view is reinforced by the holistic treatment of the impacts of circadian rhythm disruption on health - a fascinating chapter that probably could have as much impact on your overall health as your choice of food! I think it's very telling that only a short chapter is actually devoted to the discussion of weight loss -- because it is based upon all of the other principles that have already been outlined. The discussion in the weight loss chapter on the scientific origins of obesity is fascinating and sobering at the same time.
Overall, the Jaminets have done a fabulous job of scouring the scientific literature and tying together some popular concepts (the whole Paleo movement continues to gain steam in mainstream society) with a solid scientific underpinning that will go a LONG way toward helping people understand not just WHAT to eat (or not eat) but also WHY.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how their body functions and how the food you eat impacts your health and longevity. It is well-written, thorough and very convincing!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2013



