The Plant Paradox

A fresh, learned perspective on eating healthy.When renowned heart surgeon Gundry (Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution: Turn Off the Genes that Are Killing You and Your Waistline, 2009), the director of the International Heart and Lung Institute, discovered that diet was capable of reversing heart disease--among other health issues--he dedicated his career to clarifying the science behind so-called "healthy" foods that cause harm. During his decades of clinical practice and scientific research, the author identified a health paradox: many of the grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits that are considered healthy are actually triggering inflammation, a leading cause of illness. Specifically, Gundry found that foods containing a protein called lectin--of which gluten is the most well-known--alter the gut microbiome and make people vulnerable to an array of autoimmune diseases, from rheumatoid arthritis to Crohn's disease. In addition to identifying lectin as a hidden culprit, the author makes the more familiar, though still alarming, argument that the Western food industry plays a major role in systemic poor health. By feeding cows, chickens, and other animals an unnatural diet consisting mostly of corn and grains, supplemented by hormones and other chemicals, those compounds make their ways into our systems. The result is further disruption of the body's ability to properly digest food. The good news, according to Gundry, is that a healthy gut can be restored by reprogramming it using the right lectin-free foods, including many plants. In the second half of the book, he provides lists of "good" and "bad" foods, as well as recipes, alongside a dietary program designed to promote long-term health. While the "Gundry diet" is certainly restrictive, its potential is profound, and the author's writing is clear and convincing. Much more than just another dietary fad, Gundry's scientifically proven approach to restoring a healthy microbiome will reorient your approach to food. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.