Tasneem Bhatia - What Doctors Eat: Tips, recipes, and the ultimate eating plan for lasting weight loss and perfect health

This book is intended as a reference volume only, not as a medical manual. The information given here is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, we urge you to seek competent medical help.

Each contribution by a doctor or other health expert in this book is an independent contribution and does not constitute an endorsement by that doctor or health expert of any other contributor.

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Book design by Amy C. King

Photography by Mitch Mandel/Rodale Images

Food styling by Susan Sugarman

Prop styling by Hilary Robertson

Back cover recipes (from top to bottom) Rigatoni with Turkey and Vegetable Bolognese ()

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

eISBN 978-1-60961-957-2 ebook

ISBN 978-1-60961-956-5 hardcover

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Contents

Acknowledgments

First, we would like to thank all of the health experts who shared their insights, wisdom, and favorite dishes with us. They were generous with their knowledge and their time and this book literally would not exist without them.

Heather Zhou, RD, put in many long hours and a lot of heart into the development of The Doctors Diet. Her attention to detail ensured that this plan is healthy and satisfyingand that it would deliver results! Heather, thanks for your dedication, flexibility, and terrific ideas.

Angela Giannopoulos was instrumental to this book on so many levels. Thank you a hundred times over, Angela, for your organizational skills, your great attitude, and your willingness to do whatever necessary, whenever necessary.

Marilyn Hauptly, Chris Krogermeier, Sara Cox, and Debbie McHugh kept the trains running on time even when they threatened to derail! Your patience and guidance were very much appreciated. Alexandra Sachers help was invaluable. Gratitude to JoAnn Brader and Michelle Stanten. Amy King, and George Karabotsosthank you for making this book look good. And thanks to editor Trisha Calvo for pulling it all together.

L IKE COPS WHO EAT DOUGHNUTS, THE DOCTOR WHO IS overweight, out of shape, and clueless about nutrition is etched in our collective consciousness. Weve all heard that in 4 years of medical school, students get just a few paltry weeks of nutrition training. Fast-food chains have sprouted up on the premises of many hospitals, and youll find plenty of white coats among the customers. Writers for shows like ER and Greys Anatomy build scenes around TV docs quickly scarfing down burgers, fries, pizza, candy bars, or chips, or unwinding with several cocktails in a bar after a long, stressful shiftand sometimes both in the same episode! Given all this, why would anyone want to know what doctors eat?

Because more and more doctors no longer fit that made-for-TV stereotype. In many medical centers, private practices, medical schools, teaching hospitals, and research labs across the country, there are doctors, exercise physiologists, psychologists, scientists, and dietitians who believe in the power of food and use their knowledge of nutrition to keep themselves, their families, and their patients healthy. Im one of them, and in this book youll meet more than 60 other healthcare professionals who also practice what they preach. While some of us have always had a certain level of nutritional awareness, others are recent converts, convinced by the overwhelming body of evidence thats been accumulating over the past several years. Some immersed themselves in the topic as their own health declined. Certainly all of us have had patients who got better simply by changing their diets and moving their bodies.

Just like everyone else, doctors lead busy, full lives in a world where foodmostly the kind we shouldnt be eating too oftenis everywhere and technology makes being sedentary very easy. So we know that making the right choices can sometimes be tough. But when youre familiar with the research, youre compelled to act. Without a doubt, eating right and having other healthy habitslike exercising regularly, managing stress, and avoiding toxins such as cigarette smoke and pesticidesare proven ways to prevent heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a plethora of other serious illnesses. Some evidence even shows that diet, alone or as part of an overall healthy lifestyle, can halt the progression of or even reverse the course of some conditions. According to the results of a study published in the journal Preventive Medicine, people who followed just one of three habitseither eating a healthy diet, exercising, or avoiding smokingwere 40 percent less likely to die early than those who had no healthy behaviors. Those who scored a trifecta? They cut their odds by 82 percent.

Even for doctors, though, it can be tempting to think, Im healthy now, so I dont have to worry about diet and exercise too much. Ill make some changes when life and work settle down. What the health pros featured in this book have come to realize is that being nutritionally savvyand acting on what they knowhas immediate benefits. It gives them the energy to take care of their families, their patients, and themselves on a daily basis. If they eat the wrong foods, skip exercise, or push themselves too hard, they pay the price: fatigue, excess weight, bad skin, blue mood, and frequent colds. And you dont need to own a stethoscope for that to apply to you: Its true no matter who you are, where you live, or what you do.