Michael Greger - The How Not to Die Cookbook

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I admit it. I am a nutrition nerd. I love digging through the scientific literature for the fun of it, for the sheer fascination of how our body works, for all the puzzles to be solved. In high school, I used to skip class to hang out in the science library at the local university, spending countless hours trying to read the new issues of all the journals. I hardly understood any of it, but I just loved the whole concept of scientific inquiry: using experimental evidence to test our theories about the universe. In college, I pursued a biophysics major.

I was most interested in the mysteries of the universe inside each of us. As enthralling as all of science and mathematics was, I came to realize that our number one cause of death and disability wasnt the Higgs boson it was our diet. My mothers deep involvement in the civil rights movement inspired me to dedicate my life to making the world a better place, and my grandmothers miraculous recovery from end-stage heart disease, due to a change in her diet, provided the direction: I would become a doctor and specialize in nutrition. Even if it didnt help a soul, though, I could happily spend seven days a week lost in the dusty stacks of some medical library basement to satisfy my own curiosity. But what most motivates me every morning to jump out of bed (and onto my treadmill desk!) are all the lives Im able to help change and save with the information I uncover. For years, my work had touched millions through NutritionFacts.org, but it wasnt until How Not to Die was published that the deluge started.

My inbox, mailbox and voicemail box have been flooded with profound expressions of gratitude from readers telling me how the science Ive shared has helped them and their families become healthier. They are such a gift. Even better is to experience that appreciation for my work face-to-face and heart-to-heart. As Ive traveled around the world to share the book, Ive been witness to countless stories of transformation. So many people line up to talk with me after my lectures that sometimes it can be several hours before I can dash back to the airport. The stories often shared with me are not the ones most doctors hear, tales of pain and sickness.

These are stories of regained health and happy endings. What could be more satisfying for both of us? Let me share one of these stories with you. I met Chris, a middle-aged man, after a presentation I gave in Boston at Harvards Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he was employed. Chris had come to my talk because although his type 2 diabetes diagnosis was about ten years old, he wasnt willing to settle for a lifetime of medication and monitoring as his doctor contended was to be his fate. His physician had told him his diabetes was probably just the result of bad genes and Chris would need to take pills, adding he should watch his sugar (whatever that means). Chris knew diabetes was linked to such complications as blindness and amputations, and his doctor didnt seem very optimistic about the prognosis, nor did he offer any other recommendations.

Ten years earlier, Chris left his doctors office feeling hopeless and helpless. He felt that he had just been given a death sentence. But he never stopped trying to seek out other answers, which brought him to my lecture. After Chris recounted his experience, I told him that despite what his doctor might think, we actually have tremendous power over our health destiny. The vast majority of premature death and disability is preventable with a plant-based diet and other healthy lifestyle changes, and type 2 diabetes is a perfect example of a correctable disease. Chris then handed me a copy of How Not to Die to autograph.

As I always do when signing books, I included my personal e-mail address and cell phone number, and encouraged him to contact me if there was anything I could do to help him or his family. About ten months later, Chris sent me this e-mail: Dear Doc,You wont believe this. My diabetes is GONE. I beat it, doc! How Not to Die really did save my life! Guess what else? My wife has had problems with her weight since she was a teenager. We went on a plant-based diet together, and she has, for the first time in years, gotten to a normal weight! We are both so happy, we feel like teenagers again. (Did I tell you we were high school sweethearts? That was a very long time ago, but it doesnt feel so long ago anymore!)Also I want to mention that this diet is saving us some serious cash! I used to spend over $70 per month on my diabetes medications, my sugar meter, and test strip supplies.

Now we are putting that money saved on medicine into... guess what... a Happiness Savings Account!We have both always wanted a dog, and when I finally beat diabetes, my wife said, Your getting your health back is the best day of my life. We should celebrate it. And I told her I wanted to go to the shelter and get a dog. When the staff at the shelter asked what kind of dog we wanted, I said, A nice dog who you dont think anyone else will want.

The dog who everyone else gave up on. Second-chance dog, thats MY dog, please.The shelter folks talked for a minute, and then they brought out a big black dog with her head down and her tail tucked between her legs. We took one look at each other. Found out her name was Joy. Strange name for a sad dog, right? Well, we bonded fast, and now Joy, my wife, and I walk together every morning. We call it our JoyWalk! Joy is now living up to her name, and I think she saved me as much as I saved her.Most days I find all these new healthy choices easy, but when I get sidetracked, I just look at my Joy and remember how things were, and I remind myself that we are never going back there.Thank you for talking to me and for caring about me and my family.

You will never know how much it means to me. I hope you can tell everyone what you told me about genes NOT being our destiny. There is hope and (at least in my house) there is Joy! Thanks, Dr. Greger! Youre welcome, Chris! Not everyone is so magnanimous, though. Others are angry. Why didnt their doctor tell them about how lifesaving our dietary choices can be? When I present decades-old studies showing how easily some of our leading killers can be reversed, the audience is left thinking, Let that sink in for a moment: People with diabetes for twenty years can go off all insulin in less than two weeks.