Friday, September 23, 2011

Review: Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health by William Davis, MD

Synopsis: A renowned cardiologist explains how eliminating wheat from our diets can prevent fat storage, shrink unsightly bulges, and reverse myriad health problems. Every day, over 200 million Americans consume food products made of wheat. As a result, over 100 million of them experience some form of adverse health effect, ranging from minor rashes and high blood sugar to the unattractive stomach bulges that preventive cardiologist William Davis calls “wheat bellies.” According to Davis, that excess fat has nothing to do with gluttony, sloth, or too much butter: It’s due to the whole grain wraps we eat for lunch. After witnessing over 2,000 patients regain their health after giving up wheat, Davis reached the disturbing conclusion that wheat is the single largest contributor to the nationwide obesity epidemic— and its elimination is key to dramatic weight loss and optimal health. In Wheat Belly, Davis exposes the harmful effects of what is actually a product of genetic tinkering and agribusiness being sold to the American public as “wheat”—and provides readers with a user-friendly, step-by-step plan to navigate a new, wheat-free lifestyle. Informed by cutting-edge science and nutrition, along with case studies from men and women who have experienced life-changing transformations in their health after waving goodbye to wheat, Wheat Belly is an illuminating look at what is truly making Americans sick and an action plan to clear our plates of this seemingly benign ingredient. (From the Back of the Book)

Review: As a newbie to the Paleo Diet idea, I wanted to read more about why so many people are shunning wheat (and most grains). I've had success on a low-carb diet and was interested in the science behind the craze. This book was excellent! The author used heavy science, but made it accessible to the layman and included almost 16 pages of studies and report to back up his ideas. He also included examples from his own life and medical practice and was clear about what is and is not possible from giving up wheat.
The book is divided into chapters that each take one cause or molecule in wheat and explains what happens when you body ingests it or how it effect the common medical ailments of our time (heart disease, diabetes, celiac disease).
I found this book an excellent learning experience and I would recommend it to anyway who is struggling with weight or who has family members (or themselves) that deal with heart trouble or diabetes.
I admit I'm not completely sold on his theories, but I haven't heard anything better, and his logic is hard to refute.

Bookmarks: 8 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 9-19-2011
Pages: 304

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