Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Revised Edition

Dr. Fuhrman's book is an excellent read for anyone wanting information that is accurate and based on not just one, but thousands of peer reviewed studies. Before reading this book I had read several other books on nutrition and thought I had a pretty good understanding of how things worked, but this book definitely added to my knowledge and depth of understanding. Some of the new things I learned are that vegetables have protein. I never knew this before, which sounds kind of silly now. It's kind of a duh moment when Dr. Fuhrman points out that cows eat grass yet they pack on plenty of muscle. Another thing I learned is that when refined oils are consumed, the body has no processing to do and the fat is stored directly in your adipose tissue. When I read this, it made sense; our cell's need glucose to function and when you eat a combination of carbohydrates, protein and refined oil (fat), your body immediately starts using the glucose for energy. The body can and does break down fat to use for energy, but its first choice is glucose, so when your body has a choice, it will always choose glucose--so the oil is immediately stored in your fatty tissue. I do have a couple criticisms and concerns however. Dr. Fuhrman suggests that we eat 100% plant based meals with copious amounts of leafy greens, a variety of fruits, and daily consumption of 1 Tbs flaxseed meal, 1 cup minimum legumes, and optional whole grains in moderation. Fuhrman says we should only be eating 3 times a day (the between meal times allow our cells to focus on detox) and that when we eat, we should eat as much as we want but stop when we get full. Additionally, he talks about toxic hunger v.s. real hunger. He says real hunger is felt in the throat and mouth and that toxic hunger is felt in the stomach. He writes that when we feel toxic hunger we can feel week, fog headed, and that after being on his plan for four to six weeks this will clear. Here is my problem with this: My plant based meals consist of copious amounts of large dark leafy greens, or green salads topped with vegetables and lemon juice for dressing. I get full quickly because of the fiber and nutrient content, however, the calories of my meals range from 200 to 300 cal. The bulk of the fiber really fills me up so it's hard to eat more calories than this in one sitting. If I were to only eat three of these meals a day, my daily caloric intake would be between 600 and 900, pretty low if you ask me. Additionally, I like to exercise, something that Fuhrman never addresses in his eating plan. I can do the plant based thing, but really I need to be eating every two to three hours, especially when I am exercising. I tried to only eat three meals per day, but the hunger I felt in between was all consuming... was it toxic hunger? I am not convinced. I think I either need to have a little piece of lean mean with each meal, or I need to eat more often. Another critique is that he does not stress enough the importance of consuming omega 3. So omega 3 comes in three forms, ALA, EPA, DHA. The ALA form comes from plants and the EPA and DHA come from animal sources such as salmon or krill. Your body needs DHA, it is vitally important in many bodily functions such as myleination of your neurons and anti-inflammatory processes. The ALA form of omega 3 is fine, but it must be converted by the body into DHA, and the amount of ALA converted has been estimated at 50% or less. DHA is ready to go for your body to use, so you don't run the risk of becoming deficient in this very important and vital fat. There is SO much research on the importance and benefits of fish oil that I am dismayed that Furhman does not give credit here where it's due. His arguments about potential pollutants in fish oil are not persuasive enough to me, especially when there is such high quality, nearly pharmaceutical grade oils out there. I take Carlson's Finest Fish Oil, it is tested by a third reputable party and the results are published online. There are other fine brands out there as well. Do your homework and take fish oil! I have one final major criticism: Our bodies' need protein. Our immune cells are made directly from protein therefore protein plays a vital role in immune function and is especially important when we are sick or our immune system is compromised (such as in chemo treatment). The amount of protein obtained from plant sources is minimal compared to lean, skinless animal protein. I don't mean the calorie to protein ratio, I mean a huge plate of lettuce, broccoli, and other veggies compared to a four ounce piece of lean chicken breast. If you don't eat numerous platefuls of veggies each and every day, then you are very likely deficient in protein if you are not concurrently consuming lean animal meat. When we get sick and become febrile, our metabolism revs up and caloric needs increase dramatically. Our immune cells are produced directly from protein, so if you are not getting adequate protein in your food, your body will start to tear down lean muscle to make white blood cells. If you are sick, are you really going to eat a huge plateful of veggies, or are you going to eat a 4oz piece of lean chicken? My point is that whether you eat 100% plant based meals or not, it is vitally important that you make sure to get enough protein (I'm not suggesting that high protein is good... I'm just saying low protein is definitely not good). In conclusion, I would say what impressed me the most was the data on cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and the positive effects having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can have on these things. This is my take away from this book. Eating plenty of unrefined, unprocessed vegetation daily is a requirement for optimal health. If you want to take it to the next level, cut out all processed food and oils from your diet (note that avocados, raw unsalted nuts and high quality fish oil are not only okay, but should be consumed in moderation) and do not add salt to anything. Even better, cut out all grain and eat legumes in moderation. I believe lean protein, in moderation, is not only healthy but will add to overall satisfaction and sustainability on this diet (Fuhrman does give two options, meatless, and meat in modoration... I strongly lean toward the latter).

This is extremely useful information, most of it makes perfect sense. I really can give this book about 4.5 stars - you will be a lot healthier, look a million times better and naturally lose as much fat as you want, without being hungry or irritable. You will feel better, sleep better and be happier. The only thing I would say is the first six weeks is a hardcore vegan diet. You will lose weight the fastest this way if your current health is so bad, and you must lose a ton of fat in the least possible time this way will achieve. One reason is it's almost impossible to over-eat if you eat this way. I personally followed this diet about 95% - the only difference is I eat about 1-2 oz. of sardines every other day. (maybe 7 oz/week). I discovered that if I don't have a tiny bit of fish every now and then, then I lose muscle, and feel weak and sick. But I don't need much, any more than 1-2 oz/day is most likely unnecessary. Plus, I don't have the serious nutrition issues that hardcore vegans face, such as chronic B12 deficiency, muscle wasting, phosphorus loss, mental fog, etc. Also, sardines and anchovies are about the lowest animals in the marine food chain, except plankton, etc. They have virtually no mercury compared to most fish. I personally feel this is how our ancestors probably made it. If you go back 20,000 years, you too would have been eating tons of raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, but also small amounts of fish, and even bugs (basically anything you could your hands on). Almost never would you be eating steak, and you certainly would never ever be eating cheese, ice cream etc. And the other issue is if eating nothing but raw vegetables and fruits all days long was the ultimate diet for humans, than there would be no need for additional vitamin B12 pills, or Vitamin D pills that he recommends taking while you are eating this way. If the small amount of organic harvested ocean fish is seriously detrimental to the spirit of Eat to Live, well I'm sorry, but even Dr. Fuhrman admits in this book, the vegetarian who eats, "a lot of processed vegetarian meals, pasta, processed grains, vegetable oils, etc" will be significantly worse off, than the person who eats "tons of raw vegetables, fruits and nuts all day, but has small amounts of fish, or chicken every once awhile". Other than that, it's the best out there. Embrace it. I have lost about 10 pounds of belly fat in four weeks, and that is simply walking 2 hrs each morning, no running, etc. I'm in my late 40's. I expect to lose more fat, and retain critical muscle too. Dr Fuhrman has laid out the roadmap for a very long, disease-free, happy life here on earth. It's up to each one of us to pick the map and follow it. It works!

I found this book, and this author, at the perfect time..This book is full of common sense, backed up by loads of hard data from thousands of high-quality studies. It is also uncompromising, and well outside the mainstream of diet advice. Don't expect to hear that you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and still maintain your health, let alone a healthy weight. This book and eating plan have helped me to lose 35 pounds in about four months, and I am still losing. If you are ready to take real action to take control of your health and your weight, this book -- and LIFESTYLE -- will take you there. Dr. Fuhrman really doesn't care if you like what you read or not. You may feel upset at the suggestion that you MUST limit or eliminate your consumption of animal products. You may protest that you don't really like vegetables. You might put the book down because you are not interested in making the necessary changes to insure good health. Everyone is entitled to make their own life choices. However, what I read made sense to me. Not in the way that I was simply agreeing with what I wanted to hear, but that, as a thinking person, I found the evidence to be overwhelming. Knowing what I now know, I can't continue on the same path that was leading to short-term weight loss, inevitable weight gain, and poor health. I now believe that the rest of my life can be vital and healthy. One need never get diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or cancer. As I have changed my eating habits to the "nutritarian" (consuming high-nutrient foods), I feel healthy and more energized. A happy side effect is that the weight has been just falling off. The author includes dozens of inspiring stories of people who actually reversed heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a host of other ills, sometimes losing hundreds of pounds, through excellence in nutrition, rather than through medications. Pretty impressive. This is not an easy program, especially at the beginning. Most people can't stand to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced for one moment. However, if you are willing to stick with it through the first week, you will be on a road to vibrant good health. The recipes are delicious and interesting, and have also simplified our meal preparations. I have actually not been hungry, tired, cranky, or dissatisfied at any time. There was a bit of headache and morning tiredness that I noticed off and on during the first month, as I went through the detox process and the effects of processed foods, dairy, meats, and too many starchy carbs, left my system. However, it was well worth it to go through that relatively minor discomfort for the results I have experienced. Cravings and hunger are gone. I now have a healthy appetitie for healthy food. I've been telling everyone about this book. I have lost about 15% of my previous peak weight, and am now simply overweight, instead of being morbidly obese. I am halfway to my overall goal of losing 70 pounds, almost 30% of my weight. People whom I haven't seen in a few months say they hardly recognize me. I am now hooked on feeling good, and look forward to reaping the healthy rewards of a healthy body. The breakthrough idea for me was this: excess weight is not simply a cosmetic issue. Excess weight is the gateway indicator to the worst diseases that can befall a human being. It is a health issue of the most serious importance. Give the six-week plan a try. Educate yourself and make an informed decision. I truly believe this book is a life-saver.

I did this diet years ago and lost 30 pounds...and I am doing it again now and so far so good. However, this time I'm doing it as a fast for 6 weeks, and once the fast is over I'm going to use a great deal of the information in my daily life. I plan to do this every year. I personally think EVERYONE should read this book. That being said... there are some cons to this diet. Here's a pros and cons list: Pro: 1) This book is extremely well-researched and has great information. Over the years I've used it as more than just a "diet" book but also as a reference book on overall health 2) The diet works. If you follow Dr. Fuhrman's rules, you will lose weight, and you will lose it fast. There's nothing as motivating as seeing weight fall off right from the start and you don't even need to exercise... although it is highly recommended since exercise is good for your health and will help the weight come off even faster. However, this is not the kind of diet that requires you to be in the gym day in and day out in order for you to start seeing results 3) If you follow Dr. Fuhrman's daily intake recommendations, you will not go hungry. In fact, when you first start you'll feel guilty about eating the amount of food he requires. You'll wonder if you'll really lose weight, and when you do you'll be at awe that weight loss doesn't need to include starvation. 4)The tips and advice you learn from Dr. Fuhrman are priceless and they are things you can continue to do even if you decide to do your own thing. For example, you learn to rethink the dinner plate so that your vegetables and salad is the main dish and everything else is more like sides and condiments. Starting every meal with a gigantic salad is a good way to not overeat on other things. 5)This diet will help you build a salt and sugar sensitivity...even if you start eating those things again, it won't be the same 6) Even though Dr. Fuhrman might not like people deviating from his plan... his tips and advice educates you well enough so that you can incorporate the information in something a little different... something for example, that might fit your needs better 7) Dr. Furhman offers 3 lifestyles: vegan, vegetarian and near vegetarian which allows people to pick what best suits them 8) Eat to live opens the door to so many produce options that most don't ever think of Cons 1) For someone like Dr. Furhrman "to live" is to live long without pain and medication, and that's great. Again, that's great. He also wants you to achieve superior health which also means being the skinniest you possible. Personally, I want to lose weight and I want to be healthy but I'm also not trying to compete for the healthiest person in the world medal. Physical health is important, but there's also your mental and spiritual health and all three work together to create balance, true... but the ability to enjoy moments like getting together with friends and enjoying a good meal, or traveling and being able to try local cuisine and so on, are things that are important to me as a person. And while I want to be a healthy size, I also don't need to be the skinniest possible. If your definition of living also includes being able to try things and relax without fussing all the time because you have 100 diet rules, then this diet, fully as it is, will not be a practical life-long plan. Again... I think a lot of the advice is great and can be used forever, such as increasing the amount of vegetables you eat and making that the main dish, starting every meal with a salad, eating less salt, sugar, and minimizing the amount of meat you eat are all great things that you can do forever. However, as a whole, this diet is too restrictive. 2) While I find Dr. Furhrman informative and this book pretty accurate, I don't agree with all of his assessments and conclusions. 3) Along with the restrictive idea... the cooked foods are bland and it takes a while to learn tips and tricks to make your dishes decent. The salads can be tasty, and you'll learn to have a new appreciation for fruit because you're not eating all that refined sugar, also--if you're getting fresh vegetables... raw veggies will also become your good friend...but other than that, a lot of the "joy" of eating is removed... which is both good and bad. It's good because you don't spend the whole day anticipating lunch and dinner. It's bad because as a lifelong plan that's just sad if you can't enjoy the potentials of the culinary arts. Life is a balance...and this might be too extreme on one end. 4)To make meals more interesting and even exciting... Dr. Furhman encourages variety--- which is good. I even had that as one of the pros. However, this can get really expensive. Due to the amount of produce he wants you to eat and the variety he recommends , this is not a cheap diet. If you live in a food dessert... as I do... variety can also be hard to obtain. The first time I did the diet, I lived in Chicago and it was pretty easy to get my hands on all sorts of produce, but it's definately a greater challenge now. All in all, you really should just read the book and try it for yourself. It's definately worth a try. In the beginning, I also recommend following his diet as closely as possibly for as long as possible if you're trying to lose a lot of weight. Whatever you decide, I guarantee you'll get something of value from the book. I will continue to incorporate his most important points to my daily life long after the 6 weeks, and every year I will do his 6-week plan as a fast. However, a long term plan for me will also include flavor, some salt (not too much), whole fats (I'm a believer that full fats are better for you than fat-free and low-fat products), fish, some meat, wine, spirits, and the occasional chocolate. Michael Pollan actually says it best when he says: "Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Well! Here goes! My husband and I were totally frustrated with trying to lose weight and be healthy. We felt we were doing the right things but were getting sicker and sicker. Hypertension, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea...you get the point. Our children moved out of state and we MISSED them and our grandchildren and found it was difficult flying there or driving the 12 hours to see them. We just didn't feel right. Then our daughter gets two tickets from a friend who moved to another state to attend one of Dr. Furman's symposiums. She called, excited about Eat To Live. She is a Dietician and her husband a cardiologist and both were attempting to be healthy and fit but being busy and with two small children it was difficult. She went on the program and immediately, within DAYS (not a type), started to see the improvement. She related everything to me but it took a couple of weeks before we ordered our copy. We were leaving on a Southwest trip for our 49th anniversary. It was my gift to my husband, who had suffered for one full month (February) with a flare-up of gout. (Did I mention he suffered from gout?) It was as if he were "walking on glass" he related. To cheer him up I offered to take him to Utah (he's an animal lover and we were going to volunteer at a 5,000-acre sanctuary). It would have been difficult if we didn't feel well so I went on the program (without reading the book) based on what my daughter told us. He willingly followed and I give him credit because he was willing to try this. One week before our departure, we went for our previously scheduled annual physical and bloodwork. We had not started the program until AFTER this checkup. While in Utah my nephrologist calls (did I mention I have a kidney issue?) and tells me to go to the nearest ER and check my potassium (and other numbers). Scared the heck out of us! Told me to stop the Diovan as it was risky-possible fibrillation, etc. Researching it, found out also possible stroke and heart attack risk. I had begun reading ETL which I purchased on Amazon and it was shipped the next day; downloaded a copy to my iPad so my husband could also read it at the same time, and finished it on the plane to Las Vegas, our first stop. As suggested in the book, we carried bags of almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, GF items (did I mention I had become gluten- and dairy-intolerant?) that were still in my house. (Was in the process of finishing them up as well as salted nuts that are NOT on the program before we purchase raw nuts). We carried oranges, apples, bananas & pears enough for the trip and the next day. The hotels we stayed in (Nevada, Arizona, Utah) included breakfast but we skipped it and went to the local green grocers and stocked up on veggies and fruits. My husband remarked he felt like a primate. BUT, and here is the crux of the matter, when the ER lab results came in, the doctor (I had told the nurse about ETL) said, "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it". The potassium was NOT 6.2, it was 4.1! I jumped off the gurney and hugged the nurse and the doctor. He faxed copies of the report to my PCP, my pulmonologist and the doctor who called me. Did I mention that my Primary Care Doctor had also called regarding ANOTHER blood test she had ordered the same day I took the fasting blood test for my urologist/nephrologist? She, too, had called my home stating she needed to speak to me; that it was "important". My house-sitter relayed the information to me and I called her as well, (from Nevada). After the blood tests were faxed, she never did call me back. It's been 3 weeks, we are home, still following only about 90% of the program (waiting for my husband to finish reading ETL so we can be on the same page) and I am STILL off meds (while checking my blood pressure at home regularly). Remember, my doc TOLD me to stop the med, the nurse at the ER said, if it gets high take it. It's been stable! NOW we're looking forward to the full program because we will NOT be counting calories nor weighing food. We eat for dense nutrition AND losing weight in the process! My daughter has lost 27.5 lbs. in 7 weeks and keeps encouraging us. We have more energy now, can do more things with our grandkids here and even though we just got back from an anniversary trip, are leaving in one week to visit our other grandchildren in the state they moved to. Right after writing this I will be ordering 3 more copies of ETL from Amazon for cherished friends and also Dr. Furman's, "EAT FOR HEALTH". I plan to call his office in Flemington, NJ and get more advice. Lastly, I plan on informing my Patient Health Advocate at my insurance company what we are doing with our health and that they better not penalize us for it (with copies to all our doctors). Not to belabor the point, but it makes us want to cry to see the junk being sold as food. No wonder America is obese! And unhealthy! Our friends and family want to read the book due to our passion about it and the visible results already. With not yet beginning the program in full, we are grateful for this book, the motivation to eat healthily, and the results we are alreading seeing!

I have been on a personal journey to figure out my health and wellness. Experiencing serious random mood swings, feeling unmotivated, exhausted all the time, wanting to get pregnant, etc. A friend recommended this book to me and I thought it sounded interesting. Right away I went to my local library and borrowed it. Half way through the book I decided I just had to own this so I purchased it on amazon. I have LOVED this book. I underlined a lot of points I felt were important for me. Appearance: I find that the cover isn't very appealing to me. The colors aren't quite my taste and the target audience is geared to those trying to lose a LOT of weight (I wouldn't have picked this book out on my own just by its appearance). I was interested in losing about 20 lbs but that was not my reason for wanting to read this. Reading: The information is really detailed. It starts out by explaining the why behind eating, why we should avoid certain foods, why we should eat more of others, why our bodies react the way they do, etc., from there it progresses into how to implement what is being taught, and then a few example meal plans and recipes are included. I found that this book changed my way of thinking. I didn't realize I hadn't understood quite a bit about nutrition. My husband has started reading this book and he says he is enjoying it and learning a lot but it feels a little repetitive at times. I would have to agree that it does overlap on information a little. I felt it was on purpose though, to make sure the concepts were understood. He isn't as enthusiastic about this book as I am, but he is learning a lot. Infomercials: This book is laced with other peoples stories and experiences implementing this information into their lives. Some may find this inspiring while others may find it annoying. Implementing: Right after reading this book I decided I wanted to adopt many of the taught principles into my life: Eat more vegetables, fruits, grains, and eat less or no meats, fats, and dairy products. I chose to go cold turkey and I cut out all meats and dairy products right away. I was not a big vegetable person to begin with, and I LOVED the taste of meat. I went through a little mourning period, but eventually I got over it. I found making a gallon of green smoothie every morning and sipping on it throughout the day was a saving grace as I have learned to implement this books teachings. I would make meals like normal but the new way of cooking was hit or miss (to be quite honest, I haven't tried any of his recipes because there are no pictures, but I have tried 'vegan' cookbooks) so having the green smoothie ready as back up to a failed lunch or dinner attempt was more encouraging. I challenged my husband to eat this way with me for 6 weeks (Then he started reading the book. He agreed hesitantly so he could understand my new passion for healthy eating and so he could convince me to eat meat again.) In 3 weeks we both lost 15 pounds (we were consuming a TON of food too, and this was not our goal but definitely welcomed!), I had LOTS more energy, and I felt great. My husband says he hasn't really felt much of a difference, but to me he seems to be more motivated and since eating this way he wrestles more with our boys, gets even more excited about food that is healthy AND tastes good haha, and his attitude seems a lot more positive as well. Also, we were struggling to get pregnant, having tried for 8 months, and after that first month of eating this way I got pregnant! (Not to say it was because of this, but I had tried many different things and it really doesn't seem like a coincidence. I am not saying those that choose this way of living will get pregnant when they are having trouble conceiving, but it's worth trying! If nothing more, you'll at least be healthy.) KIDS-- My children are very young and they are eating this way right along with us, I had no clue they would like vegetables so much. Out of anyone in our family I am the one that is struggling the most with eating this way haha, mainly because I am not a fan of the taste of nutritional yeast and that has been in quite a few of the recipes I have tried. I find when I keep to simple ingredients I enjoy it sooo much more. Stir fry's, Thai vegetable curries/Pad Thai's, salads, grilled vegetables, beans/rice burritos/tacos, etc. Lots of vegetables and good seasoning go hand in hand for me. Recommendation: I definitely recommend this book! The movie, Forks Over Knives talks about a lot of the information found in it and is a great crash course to watch on Netflix or Prime(if it is available) to see if you are interested in learning more and a bit deeper. My father's Dr's found a lump on his prostate and I immediately recommended this book to him (cancer is discussed in this book quite a bit) His Dr's recommended a vegetarian diet to fight against any cancer that might be there as well as watching Forks Over Knives. It goes hand in hand with the teachings of this book (especially because it was based off of this and The China Study.

I have to admit having done VERY well on what I called "modified Atkins" (I would eat fish and chicken, I am not a big beef/bacon, etc. eater) and having it work wonders I was hesitant with Eat To Live because it was telling me to ignore many of the tactics that had WORKED so wonderfully for me before. However, over the last year I had put on 10+ pounds and it seemed no matter what I did the weight would not drop and I was always hungry. This on low fat whatever. I was not really watching carbs anymore and it caught up to me. I believe 70% of Eat To Live is very helpful. You simply ignore the preachy stuff. I don't like to cook so it has to be easy. I am on week #3 of this. I didn't jump right to his recommended 6 week "vegetable fest" and did include some nuts, alcohol, etc. so my weight has not moved downward as quickly as I hoped. However, I am eating very little if any "white flour" products or sugar and find my energy levels are much higher even if my weight isn't moving as I would suspect eating so many fruits and vegetables and little else. I also would recommend you avoid his web site. It is there to sell you his food products and more stuff you don't need. You just need this book. I changed my breakfast from egg whites to oatmeal with blueberries added in as suggested. My lunch is a pound of cooked vegetables or a very large salad. My dinner is kinda a mess because I was never a big dinner eater. I end up with a low carb protein shake (a throwback I've used for years) or some fruit which could be one of my issues. (I truly am scratching my head at this point as to how I can be eating 75% the way he wants and not really loosing weight.. I have not cheated other than some nuts and a drink or two on occasions. I'd expect better results) As I not considered heavy, just determined to drop the weight I added and feel better. I already feel much better and am eating more fresh fruit and fresh and cooked vegetables than I have ever eaten in my life. I plan to continue on this and see where it goes. I am always full and not snacking at all. I have a habit of tinkering with all diets. It worked when I did it with Adkins, not so well with this. I may need to regroup, but since I have barely wandered from his strict 6 week plan I fail to understand how clamping down on those little variations will make the difference he claims. We all know our bodies.) So, as I ramble, I recommend the book. I am eating much healthier and feeling much more alert. I'll be less annoyed when I see my weight start to do what was promised in the book. Stand by.

Just the facts: I was 5’11”, 222 pounds, mid-40’s, with very high HDL, low HDL, and low triglycerides. However, my blood pressure was constantly 145/105, and my doctor was insistent – no… he was obsessed with getting me on blood-pressure medications. What did I do? I purchased the Kindle version of “Eat to Live.” And then I created a simple Excel spreadsheet to chart my progress (and to prove to my wife that I was serious). At first, it was not easy to digest the facts, figures, and overall “strategy” Dr. Fuhrman espouses. After all, when first reading books like these, one usually flips through to the recipes to see if one can actually stomach the recommended way of life (pardon the unintended puns). But with the Kindle edition, I couldn’t really flip through the pages and cherry pick what fit my reading fancy; I had to read it from cover to cover… AND I AM SO HAPPY THAT I DID ! In only one week’s time, I was down to 215 pounds. Now, 7 pounds may not seem like much; but we’re talking ONE WEEK! The only exercise I do/did was about 30~45 minutes of walking each morning. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away at the beginning of Week #2, so I had to fly across the country to join family and attend services. However, during time away from home, I still ate, as Dr. Fuhrman recommends, “as much fresh fruit and vegetables” as I wanted. I even had the pan-seared trout at Cracker Barrel Restaurant… as well as several bowls from a huge pot of homemade turkey chili that I made while visiting relatives. By the time I returned home, 10 days later, I had lost another 3 pounds… albeit with absolutely no exercising, and consumption of good quantity of alcohol. So here we are, on Day 18… 10 pounds lighter. And my blood pressure? 127/82! I simply cannot give enough praise to this book. And here’s a few things that many critics are missing: 1. You don’t HAVE to follow all of the recipes. Just change your mindset, and stop eating every bit of the processed food – and the salt, sugar, and sickness that comes along with it. For me, I was a chipaholic. Seriously, I would go through at least a family-sized bag of Doritos every week. Now this may not seem like a major issue. However, that’s a looooooooot of sodium to pack away on a daily or weekly basis. And when cobined with all the other sodium in all the other processed foods, the cumulative effect is downright startling. 2. Get a Vitamix and DRINK your veggies. Don’t get me wrong, I make a mean salad. I grew up with my awesome mother making a less-than-stellar salad of only lettuce and tomatoes (not even cheese!). As an adult, I load my kale-and-spinach salads up with sliced fruit (oranges, strawberries, sliced grapes; etc.); TONS of cherry, grape, Roma, and hothouse tomatoes; fresh slices of red and yellow bell peppers (I also grew up on the cheaper, bland green bell peppers); sautéed onions; raisins; fresh basil… and whatever else I can find. However, if you REALLY want to power through some green stuff, jam kale and spinach into a Vitamix, add an apple, banana, grapes, oranges, a whole cucumber, water… and then gulp your way to a healthier life. The big bags of kale and spinach will disappear at an alarmingly great rate, and the pounds will literally melt away. It really is JUST. THAT. SIMPLE. 3. Keep plenty of fresh fruit and raw, unsalted nuts on hand for the first 2-3 weeks. Will some of it go bad? Sure… but that’s a tiny price to pay for the awesome outcome you will see within a relatively short time frame. 4. Drink only water, water, and water. Crave something “stronger?” Get a soda stream and add a squirt or two of fresh lemon and/or lime. Within a few days of giving up soda/pop and enjoying the super-powerful punch of a fresh glass of soda-stream water, you will crave the soda stream and nearly gag at the heavy syrup of soda/pop. 5. Go through the recipes and find 2 or 3 that appeal to YOU. After all, it’s YOUR life. Find what works for YOU. I am posting this review primarily because I KNOW this book is not only changing lives; it is literally SAVING lives. Believe me: I am by no means a dietary slouch; nor am I a condescending knucklehead who thinks my eating habits will save you and the world. I haven’t eaten beef or pork since December 1999, and I actually LIKE vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, and other “rabbit food.” I also eat tacos and nachos every Saturday (it’s family game night at our house), and I eat other normal foods. I no longer eat chips; they were literally killing me. I am also now very mindful of the sodium in other food. And for the most part, if it's processed, it has salt and/or in it. With a muscular frame and a height of just under six feet, I am far from my ideal weight of 189 pounds (according to fancy charts available on the Net). However, all of my vitals are in the healthy range, and I will continue to lose weight with this newfound way of eating as I… EAT TO LIVE! - P.S. I plan to visit my doctor next week. I am looking forward to his shock and awe at my awesome blood-pressure readings!