When it comes to sorting out fact from fiction, nowhere is it more difficult than in the area of health. For eons humans have been searching for the Fountain of Youth. And this incessant yearning has spawned untold tales of lotions, potions, and snake-oils promising to relieve us of our aches, pains, and inevitable demise… if only you have the requisite financial wherewithal – or today, if only someone will give you a good enough health plan!
Too often today we choose to ignore the age-old wisdom that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And for those of us who do remember, the plethora of silver-tonged hawks and charlatans looking to cash in on our quest makes informed evidence-based decision making nearly impossible. South Beach, Mediterranean, Adkins, Paleo; vegetarian, vegan, ketogenic, The Zone; my word, there is even a Dental Diet now! And let’s not forget the countless packaged diets, supplements, and loose-weight-fast plans on the market.
So where can you go to find reliable information without dedicating 8 hours a day to study and research? Well, let me introduce you to two doctors who have done all that for you. There are other well-informed sources, but these two have probably done the best job of putting it all together. The first is Dr. Dean Ornish, and the second is Dr. Michael Greger.
If you have been to my dental office, you have seen Dr. Greger’s book How Not to Die on the coffee table in my reception room as well as on my desk in my private office. That’s how important I think it is. Dr Greger has made it his mission to make the latest science in nutrition and disease prevention available to anyone who cares enough to look at it. In his book he goes disease by disease – heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, various cancers, arthritis, you name it – and shows you what the research is, explains the controversies, and helps you sort out what is fact and what is fiction. It is a big subject and the book is not small. But it is the most thorough book on the subject to date and a must read for anyone serious about their health. Don’t let the volume of the material scare you off though. Dr. Greger has a very engaging writing style and way of cutting to the chase and simplifying even the most complicated subjects. And here’s the amazing thing, what prevents one disease more often that not prevents multiple others as well. So it turns out not to be so complicated after all. I should also mention that he also has a website where he continues to provide updated information in video, audio, and written formats all for free. You can find that at NutritionFacts.org.
Also a gifted communicator, Dr. Ornish could very well be considered the father of modern lifestyle medicine. For not only has he dedicated his career to disease prevention, but he has personally done much of the research that others like Dr. Greger quote and use in their practices. What I particularly appreciate about Dr. Ornish is that his interest goes way beyond nutrition, as vital and important as that is, embracing a balanced whole person approach to health and longevity. So in his book Undo It, he not only talks about the nutrition of healthy living, but exercise, stress management, and relationship health as well. Each of which his research shows play a vital and integral role health and longevity. Co-authored with his wife Cindy, Undo It not only tells you what you need to, but also shows you how to do it. With recipes, exercise routines, relaxation techniques, and relationship guidelines, the Ornish’s draw on their years of successful health resort experience to show you how to prevent and/or undo disease by eating well, moving more, stressing less, and loving more.