anniet
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2002
- Messages
- 2,342
I took the book "Eat Drink and Be Healthy" by Dr. Walter C. Willett with me on vacation in August (Bicker said it was a worthwhile read! Thanks Bicker!)
I've been meaning to post here and say bicker is right, it IS a worthwhile read and I have learned a lot from this book. I will warn you that if you are used to reading fiction or hyped up weight loss books that try to get you excited about using their plan, then this book will be a little dry for you. I believe the only other book Dr. Willett may have written might have been a text book.
But if you can get past the writing style this book is full of valuable information from proven studies on how to create a diet that will keep you healthy and help you live longer. He makes a very interesting point that the recommended food pyramid is put together by the USDA and why it's problematic that it is the department of AGRICULTURE and not the Department of Public Health that is making dietary recommendations for Americans.
I was also happy to see things like one alcoholic beverage per day for women (two for men) may actually be beneficial, barring any alcohol problems one may have. And since he says that 5 fruits and veggies should be the MINIMUM and you should aim for 9 I have increased my fruits and veggies and it seems to work for me.
He doesn't bash ALL carbs, just the processed ones. No white breads, rices or pasta, but he encourages the use of WHOLE grains, and now I'm eating things like Oat bran and barley that I've never eaten before, and am thoroughly enjoying them.
The second half of the book includes recipes and menu examples, which are all pretty realistic. I recommend this book for anybody who is looking to eat not only for weight loss but for optimal health benefits.
Just thought I'd post for anybody who might be interested.
I've been meaning to post here and say bicker is right, it IS a worthwhile read and I have learned a lot from this book. I will warn you that if you are used to reading fiction or hyped up weight loss books that try to get you excited about using their plan, then this book will be a little dry for you. I believe the only other book Dr. Willett may have written might have been a text book.
But if you can get past the writing style this book is full of valuable information from proven studies on how to create a diet that will keep you healthy and help you live longer. He makes a very interesting point that the recommended food pyramid is put together by the USDA and why it's problematic that it is the department of AGRICULTURE and not the Department of Public Health that is making dietary recommendations for Americans.
I was also happy to see things like one alcoholic beverage per day for women (two for men) may actually be beneficial, barring any alcohol problems one may have. And since he says that 5 fruits and veggies should be the MINIMUM and you should aim for 9 I have increased my fruits and veggies and it seems to work for me.
He doesn't bash ALL carbs, just the processed ones. No white breads, rices or pasta, but he encourages the use of WHOLE grains, and now I'm eating things like Oat bran and barley that I've never eaten before, and am thoroughly enjoying them.
The second half of the book includes recipes and menu examples, which are all pretty realistic. I recommend this book for anybody who is looking to eat not only for weight loss but for optimal health benefits.
Just thought I'd post for anybody who might be interested.
