The Good News About What's Bad for You . . . the Bad News About What's Good for You

October 19, 2015
In this “two books in one” volume, Wilser (The Maxims of Manhood) covers a wide range of topics, devoting the first part to the good news about food and drink (from gluten to gin), bad habits (profanity, gossip, messiness), vices and diversions (pot, porn), and bad mind-sets (stress, selfishness). Throughout, Wilser weighs the pros, cons, trade-offs, and risks of these behaviors, digging deeply into current research and using interviews with various experts to prove—or disprove—conventional wisdom. Cautioning that he’s a reporter, not a physician, Wilser also dives into more serious subjects, such as the efficacy of yearly mammograms. Journaling his way through two brief cleanses—one, the more traditional, consisting largely of juice, and the other simply cutting out junk food (he lost weight on both)—Wisner concludes that moderation is best and “excess is the enemy.” Readers can flip the book over to glean the “bad news” from pithy sections on food and beverages (from kale to diet soda), healthy habits (homework, meditation), and fitness (standing desks, ball chairs.) Anyone fascinated by health-related research studies and surprising factoids (people who suffer cardiovascular events tend to consume too little sodium, not too much) will be amply entertained and informed by Wilser’s lively compendium. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative Management.

September 15, 2015
A humorous anthology debunking contemporary wisdom about guilty pleasures and bad habits. "By making ourselves feel good about changing one tiny thing, we're more likely, at times, to miss the big picture," writes Wilser (co-author: It's Okay to Sleep with Him on the First Date: And Every Other Rule of Dating, Debunked, 2013 etc.). With the exception of government warnings about the dangers of smoking, he maintains a skeptical attitude toward dietary advice, accepted health nostrums, and more. To emphasize his message, he divides the book into two separate sections, each paginated separately and ending in the middle. After finishing one, readers can turn the book over and start on the other one. Despite the jocular attitude he maintains throughout, he consistently claims that his critiques are serious. The author begins the "Bad News" section with a jab at the supposed virtues of juice cleansers, reporting that he followed a juice-only diet for five days and felt terrible. He also tested what the effects would be if he just ate junk food for a month but regulated his caloric intake. His aim was to examine the issue of how to address the problem of obesity-is quality or quantity the paramount factor in weight gain or loss? This time, the rules of the game were reversed: no vegetables, fruit, or unprocessed meats, chicken, or fish. The result: he lost 11 pounds, his bad cholesterol went down, and his good cholesterol increased. "The point," he writes, "is that moderation is such a powerful force that it works even when you're eating crap." Wilser also explores controversial health issues such as whether or not it is beneficial to have annual mammograms and prostate tests. More surprising, tooth-brushing right after a meal may erode the enamel. Wilser delivers useful advice with cheerful good humor in a book that is wide-ranging but holds few surprises.

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November 1, 2015

Health news is full of things to avoid and things to do. The advice changes constantly, so it's hard to know what's best. Freelance writer Wilser takes a quick look at the fads that find their way into the media with a book that is two volumes in one--one cover opens on the Good News section and the other on the Bad News. Each includes a brief summary covering either positive alerts about something bad (e.g., fat, gluten, alcohol, porn) or vice versa (e.g., kale, meditation, vitamins, juice cleanses, yoga). The author provides an overview of the topic based on articles from the media. Most of these pieces are from the popular press (New York Times, Slate, ABCnews.com), although there are a few studies from medical and scientific journals. The sources are listed at the end of each section. Readers will come away with something that they already knew: moderation in all things is the best path. VERDICT A decent additional book for public library health collections but not a necessary purchase.--Barbara Bibel, formerly Oakland P.L.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2015
Whiskey, procrastination, video games, stress: not all bad for you. Kale, multitasking, annual physicals, fruit juice: not all good for you. Wilser uses scientific studies, observations, and lots of humor to poke holes in some of the most popular health advice. Whiskey, for example, may be healthier than red wine because it has less sugar and ellagic acid. Procrastination gives us time to process thoughts. Video games make us think, and stress can sharpen our focus. Kale, on the other hand, isn't any healthier than any other green veggie. Multitasking splits focus, annual physicals can prompt unnecessary tests, and fruit juice has as much sugar as cola. The bottom line is moderation in everything. The articles are short and punchy, and Wilser knows when to add humor. The book's format (good news in one half of the book; flip it over to read the bad news) may cause some confusion, but the timely topics and controversial conclusions will get readers thinking.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)