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Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Is your diet feeding or defeating disease?
Forget everything you think you know about your body and food, and discover the new science of how the body heals itself. Learn how to identify the strategies and the dosages for using food to transform your resilience and health in EAT TO BEAT DISEASE.
We have radically underestimated our body's power to transform and restore our health. Pioneering physician scientist, Dr. William Li, empowers readers by showing them the evidence behind over 200 health-boosting foods that can starve cancer, reduce your risk of dementia, and beat dozens of avoidable diseases. EAT TO BEAT DISEASE isn't about what foods to avoid, but rather is a life-changing guide to the hundreds of healing foods to add to your meals that support the body's defense systems, including:
Plums
Cinnamon
Jasmine tea
Red wine and beer
Black Beans
San Marzano tomatoes
Olive oil
Pacific oysters
Cheeses like Jarlsberg, Camembert and cheddar
Sourdough bread
The book's plan shows you how to integrate the foods you already love into any diet or health plan to activate your body's health defense systems-Angiogenesis, Regeneration, Microbiome, DNA Protection, and Immunity-to fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases, and other debilitating conditions.
Both informative and practical, EAT TO BEAT DISEASE explains the science of healing and prevention, the strategies for using food to actively transform health, and points the science of well-being and disease prevention in an exhilarating new direction.
Is your diet feeding or defeating disease?
Forget everything you think you know about your body and food, and discover the new science of how the body heals itself. Learn how to identify the strategies and the dosages for using food to transform your resilience and health in EAT TO BEAT DISEASE.
We have radically underestimated our body's power to transform and restore our health. Pioneering physician scientist, Dr. William Li, empowers readers by showing them the evidence behind over 200 health-boosting foods that can starve cancer, reduce your risk of dementia, and beat dozens of avoidable diseases. EAT TO BEAT DISEASE isn't about what foods to avoid, but rather is a life-changing guide to the hundreds of healing foods to add to your meals that support the body's defense systems, including:
Plums
Cinnamon
Jasmine tea
Red wine and beer
Black Beans
San Marzano tomatoes
Olive oil
Pacific oysters
Cheeses like Jarlsberg, Camembert and cheddar
Sourdough bread
The book's plan shows you how to integrate the foods you already love into any diet or health plan to activate your body's health defense systems-Angiogenesis, Regeneration, Microbiome, DNA Protection, and Immunity-to fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases, and other debilitating conditions.
Both informative and practical, EAT TO BEAT DISEASE explains the science of healing and prevention, the strategies for using food to actively transform health, and points the science of well-being and disease prevention in an exhilarating new direction.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2019
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March 14, 2019
I received an Advance Reading Copy of Eat to Beat Disease by William W. Li, MD from the publisher (Grand Central Life and Style) in exchange for an honest review. Eat to Beat Disease is scheduled for release on March 19, 2019.
This is a nonfiction, health and wellness book. Dr. Li presents wellness as the sum of five parts: Angiogenesis, Regeneration, Microbiome, DNA Protection, and Immunity. He discusses these five factors of wellness, focusing on the role diet plays in each.
Later chapters go into more detail regarding foods, presenting lots of evidence (data from a variety of studies) to back up Dr. Li’s statements. The final portion of the book presents an eating plan: choose five foods to eat each day- one food for each of the five factors.
I did appreciate the level of research that went into this book. Dr. Li cites hundreds of scientific papers and studies as he moves through the foods he has chosen to discuss in each chapter. There is little doubt that these foods are foods that contribute to wellness. However, Dr. Li at some points presents evidence that he then dismisses or downplays, as he has a clear bias against anti-inflammatory diets. Dr. Li seems to suggest that since some of the foods that are eliminated by anti-inflammatory diets have shown benefits for one or more of the five health factors, they must be good for you. This goes against Dr. Li’s point that nutrition should be very individualized- what works well for one person may not work as well for another.
I also struggled a bit with Dr. Li’s overall plan. There are over 200 foods discussed in this book. While Dr. Li does make a suggestion to make the list more manageable (choose five foods each day), the lengths of the list and the openness of the plan make this a very general “eat more plants and less processed foods” diet. Again, while the research is sound, this is not a ground-breaking or even remotely unique dietary suggestion.
What I appreciated most about this book was its positive focus. The message here is not one of elimination or denying yourself the foods you love. Dr. Li encourages the reader to ADD foods that are shown to contribute to health and wellness. This book would probably be best for someone who is already familiar with eating well, and is looking for more specifics about the benefits of individual foods. This book might be overwhelming for someone whose current diet is largely based on convenience foods, and is unfamiliar with the foods Dr. Li discusses.
This is a nonfiction, health and wellness book. Dr. Li presents wellness as the sum of five parts: Angiogenesis, Regeneration, Microbiome, DNA Protection, and Immunity. He discusses these five factors of wellness, focusing on the role diet plays in each.
Later chapters go into more detail regarding foods, presenting lots of evidence (data from a variety of studies) to back up Dr. Li’s statements. The final portion of the book presents an eating plan: choose five foods to eat each day- one food for each of the five factors.
I did appreciate the level of research that went into this book. Dr. Li cites hundreds of scientific papers and studies as he moves through the foods he has chosen to discuss in each chapter. There is little doubt that these foods are foods that contribute to wellness. However, Dr. Li at some points presents evidence that he then dismisses or downplays, as he has a clear bias against anti-inflammatory diets. Dr. Li seems to suggest that since some of the foods that are eliminated by anti-inflammatory diets have shown benefits for one or more of the five health factors, they must be good for you. This goes against Dr. Li’s point that nutrition should be very individualized- what works well for one person may not work as well for another.
I also struggled a bit with Dr. Li’s overall plan. There are over 200 foods discussed in this book. While Dr. Li does make a suggestion to make the list more manageable (choose five foods each day), the lengths of the list and the openness of the plan make this a very general “eat more plants and less processed foods” diet. Again, while the research is sound, this is not a ground-breaking or even remotely unique dietary suggestion.
What I appreciated most about this book was its positive focus. The message here is not one of elimination or denying yourself the foods you love. Dr. Li encourages the reader to ADD foods that are shown to contribute to health and wellness. This book would probably be best for someone who is already familiar with eating well, and is looking for more specifics about the benefits of individual foods. This book might be overwhelming for someone whose current diet is largely based on convenience foods, and is unfamiliar with the foods Dr. Li discusses.
April 17, 2019
The most helpful part of this book is the recommended system for including healthy foods into your diet. My discomfort comes from what I believe is an undue reliance on epidemiological nutrition studies. They have to be taken with more than a grain of salt, because at best, they only show a correlation, not causation (which is implied throughout the book). The 'new' science isn't that new. If you're interested in the book, I suggest skimming it for the recommended foods and reading the section about how to work them into your routine.
March 4, 2019
A life-changing book. Even if you consider yourself savvy about nutrition--buy this book. If you know nothing--buy this book. If you are facing a disease or want to avoid them--buy this book. I often pass on books to friends or relatives but this one I am keeping and advising everyone else to get their own copy. I swear I do not know Dr. Li nor am I making a commission, I just feel very strongly that this book can revolutionize your life.
This book is a time commitment, but the pay-off is priceless. The first 1/3 I felt like I was in medical school (almost) but that really helps you to understand how your body is working when it is healthy or when it is fighting disease. The next bit discusses (with studies to back up every claim) food (hundreds of individual items) and tells you what disease it prevents or fights. The last section has sample menus, recipes and a system for incorporating a minimum of the foods taylored to your own goals. To say this book is comprehensive is an understatement.
I literally began changing my eating habits halfway through this book. The food you eat is an incredibly powerful tool for your health. This book will tell you everything you need to know. 5 stars, very highly recommended.
This book is a time commitment, but the pay-off is priceless. The first 1/3 I felt like I was in medical school (almost) but that really helps you to understand how your body is working when it is healthy or when it is fighting disease. The next bit discusses (with studies to back up every claim) food (hundreds of individual items) and tells you what disease it prevents or fights. The last section has sample menus, recipes and a system for incorporating a minimum of the foods taylored to your own goals. To say this book is comprehensive is an understatement.
I literally began changing my eating habits halfway through this book. The food you eat is an incredibly powerful tool for your health. This book will tell you everything you need to know. 5 stars, very highly recommended.
April 7, 2021
As the Greek physician Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food." Dr. William Li argues much the same, in a well-researched and well-written book about how foods can prevent and sometimes cure disease. All of Dr. Li's recommendations are backed by scientific studies. What is different about this book, than others, is how he introduces the body's five disease defense systems; then he goes through each system, and recounts the research that shows which foods are specifically helpful. Then he lists all of the foods that help each defense system.
The five disease defense systems are:
1) Angiogenesis; the process that forms blood vessels. It is a balancing act, as you need blood vessels to grow, especially in damaged areas. But too much blood vessel growth can contribute to cancer.
2) Regeneration; stem cells are needed to maintain, repair, and regenerate our bodies.
3) Microbiome; Bacteria in our bodies control the immune system, produce hormones, and influence angiogenesis.
4) DNA protection; defense against solar radiation, chemicals, stress, poor diet, and lack of sleep.
5) Immunity; Influenced by our guts, and helps to wipe out cancer.
Drugs can target specific diseases, but always come with potential side effects; drugs are never about balance. However, dietary factors lack destructive power. Foods can help keep the body's angiogenesis in balance. As an example, the book lists anti-angiogenic foods that help keep blood vessels from over-growing, thus helping to keep cancer in check: Broccoli, kale, fruits with pits, apples, berries, tea, red wine, tree nuts and beans, barley and seeds. Dr. Li writes that soy is also helpful. He writes that it is an urban legend that women should avoid soy. Studies show that soy helps protect against cancer, regardless of whether a woman's estrogen receptor is positive or negative. Tomatoes contain useful bioactives, and are better after cooking, which makes the lycopene easier to absorb.
Dr. Li also lists foods that can be harmful. Diets that impair the growth of stem cells include high-fat diets, high-salt diets, and high-sugar diets. On the other hand, cancer stem cells can be killed with green tea, purple potatoes, walnuts, and extra-virgin olive oil. Cancer stem cells can also be suppressed by bioactives found in celery, oregano, thyme, capers, apples, peppers, red wine, grapes, peanuts, pistachios, dark chocolate, and cranberries.
Dr. Li also describes how many fermented food help to increase the diversity of your gut microbiome. He argues that the guiding principles for keeping your gut microbiome healthy are: 1) dietary fiber from whole food, 2) less animal protein, 3) fresh whole foods, less processed foods. But I don't quite understand this; if less animal protein is good for you gut, then why eat any animal protein at all? In fact, he argues that seafood and Pacific oysters are helpful for triggering epigenetic changes that help repair damaged DNA.
The last portion of the book describes what Dr. Li calls a 5x5x5 framework for eating to beat disease. It is primarily a plant-based diet, but includes certain seafood, dark chicken meat, cheeses and yogurt. Hmmm... I am not quite in agreement here. I this this topic is better researched by Dr. Greger's How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. I think that Dr. Greger's approach to interpreting scientific research is better, as he looks at the research more critically and carefully.
Nevertheless, this is a good book that describes in some detail, the research that describes the link between foods and the disease defense mechanisms. He summarizes the research for each food-defense mechanism. So, if you like reading about this research, then this is the book for you.
The five disease defense systems are:
1) Angiogenesis; the process that forms blood vessels. It is a balancing act, as you need blood vessels to grow, especially in damaged areas. But too much blood vessel growth can contribute to cancer.
2) Regeneration; stem cells are needed to maintain, repair, and regenerate our bodies.
3) Microbiome; Bacteria in our bodies control the immune system, produce hormones, and influence angiogenesis.
4) DNA protection; defense against solar radiation, chemicals, stress, poor diet, and lack of sleep.
5) Immunity; Influenced by our guts, and helps to wipe out cancer.
Drugs can target specific diseases, but always come with potential side effects; drugs are never about balance. However, dietary factors lack destructive power. Foods can help keep the body's angiogenesis in balance. As an example, the book lists anti-angiogenic foods that help keep blood vessels from over-growing, thus helping to keep cancer in check: Broccoli, kale, fruits with pits, apples, berries, tea, red wine, tree nuts and beans, barley and seeds. Dr. Li writes that soy is also helpful. He writes that it is an urban legend that women should avoid soy. Studies show that soy helps protect against cancer, regardless of whether a woman's estrogen receptor is positive or negative. Tomatoes contain useful bioactives, and are better after cooking, which makes the lycopene easier to absorb.
Dr. Li also lists foods that can be harmful. Diets that impair the growth of stem cells include high-fat diets, high-salt diets, and high-sugar diets. On the other hand, cancer stem cells can be killed with green tea, purple potatoes, walnuts, and extra-virgin olive oil. Cancer stem cells can also be suppressed by bioactives found in celery, oregano, thyme, capers, apples, peppers, red wine, grapes, peanuts, pistachios, dark chocolate, and cranberries.
Dr. Li also describes how many fermented food help to increase the diversity of your gut microbiome. He argues that the guiding principles for keeping your gut microbiome healthy are: 1) dietary fiber from whole food, 2) less animal protein, 3) fresh whole foods, less processed foods. But I don't quite understand this; if less animal protein is good for you gut, then why eat any animal protein at all? In fact, he argues that seafood and Pacific oysters are helpful for triggering epigenetic changes that help repair damaged DNA.
The last portion of the book describes what Dr. Li calls a 5x5x5 framework for eating to beat disease. It is primarily a plant-based diet, but includes certain seafood, dark chicken meat, cheeses and yogurt. Hmmm... I am not quite in agreement here. I this this topic is better researched by Dr. Greger's How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. I think that Dr. Greger's approach to interpreting scientific research is better, as he looks at the research more critically and carefully.
Nevertheless, this is a good book that describes in some detail, the research that describes the link between foods and the disease defense mechanisms. He summarizes the research for each food-defense mechanism. So, if you like reading about this research, then this is the book for you.
April 30, 2019
This was a broke-ass version of Dr. Michael Greger’s How Not to Die. Li’s book is chaotic and often contradictory to appease the masses. How he can responsibly recommend cured meats because the animals were fed acorns is beyond me. He then reminds readers that the WHO notes processed meats are a carcinogen before once again touting the “healthy fat” in the chestnut- and acorn-fed Italian and Spanish pigs. Ridiculous. He’s only placating an already gluttonous populous by recommending ham, beer, and cheese. I was offended that Dr. T. Colin Campbell put his stamp of approval on this work. And then there’s the poorly organized recipe section that recommends people eat such convenient meals for lunch as a “half platter of Pacific Oysters.” No wonder Bono is a fan. I’m giving it two stars for the extensive endnotes and citations, but he glosses over the studies so quickly that I recommend anyone do their own research. Just skip this and read Greger’s book instead, which separates the women from the girls.
February 23, 2019
The Doctor explains the 5 defense systems in your body
5 disease fighting foods
5 times a day.
These lists are long, of what to incorporate into your daily meals.
Some things were very new to me; such as Tomatoes cooked in Olive oil.
Stone fruits are the best for you.
Tillapia is not the best fish for you to eat.
Beer or wine once a day is good for you.
Dark chocolate is a must once a day.
This book explains the science of healing and prevention.
I won this Free book through Goodreads first reads. Thank you Goodreads.
I really enjoyed this book.
5 disease fighting foods
5 times a day.
These lists are long, of what to incorporate into your daily meals.
Some things were very new to me; such as Tomatoes cooked in Olive oil.
Stone fruits are the best for you.
Tillapia is not the best fish for you to eat.
Beer or wine once a day is good for you.
Dark chocolate is a must once a day.
This book explains the science of healing and prevention.
I won this Free book through Goodreads first reads. Thank you Goodreads.
I really enjoyed this book.
August 10, 2019
This book brought nothing new to the table. Maybe its because I read a lot of health books, but I knew pretty much everything that was talked about in this book. It left a bad taste in my mouth when he kept forcing his opinion of why you should eat soy. Literally, he was saying soy would cure everything, and I know that its not true.
This book was mostly just a list of foods that have been shown to keep you healthy - things we already know, like dark chocolate, olive oil, fish, etc.
I took the health exam in the back and scored a 2, which means 0-9 is optimal health, 9 and above is bad health. I guess that proves I've done my research and know how to keep myself healthy.
This book was mostly just a list of foods that have been shown to keep you healthy - things we already know, like dark chocolate, olive oil, fish, etc.
I took the health exam in the back and scored a 2, which means 0-9 is optimal health, 9 and above is bad health. I guess that proves I've done my research and know how to keep myself healthy.
April 3, 2019
Excellent stuff. The studies and information presented here match a lot of other reading I've done on the subject of eating for health. I can also point to dietary changes I've made and the effects they've had that match ones discussed in this book. I always recommend making better food choices, but I also really do suggest giving this a try. The author does not impose eating restrictions. Rather, he discusses foods that help to promote strengthening the body's natural defense mechanisms and then offers suggestions for working each group of foods into a daily diet. Aside from the usual suspects (processed foods, sugar, etc.), there is no mention of just cutting out entire foodgroups. There are also foods linked to the prevention and even recovery for various diseases, including different types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and autoimmune diseases. The big message: try it. If it helps disease recovery, great! If not, eating better can't hurt.
September 12, 2020
Recently started Chemo for TNBC breast cancer stage II. Hindsight being 20/20 wish I had read this a couple years ago to beef up defensive body position. A great compilation of food pharmacology. Making decision on one chemical component of a food is stupid. Eliminating coffee and tea because they contain caffeine, or wine and beer because they contain alcohol. Seems like Defensive eating can reduce the rate of recurrence. Would be interested in approximate dose (number of cloves) of aged garlic per day. Guessing 1-2 cloves per day. Target rich content for a food scientist.
Sept 5 update: A fantastic starting point for developing your own personal food pharmacology plan. Too many medical professionals are stuck to a standard protocol in order to avoid getting sued and get reimbursed by insurance companies. Medical
Professionals may lose their licenses to practice or risk not getting paid, if they deviate from mandatory standard protocols approved by the hospital or practices. A thinking 🤔 adult could figure out a plan for themselves. There is too much metabolic variation between individuals to have a standard diet protocol that works for every human on the planet. Don’t wait for a medical professional or other person to tailor an Individual personal food 🥘 pharmacology plan just for you. Get out your brain and THINK.Thank you Dr Li for compiling your book.
Sept 5 update: A fantastic starting point for developing your own personal food pharmacology plan. Too many medical professionals are stuck to a standard protocol in order to avoid getting sued and get reimbursed by insurance companies. Medical
Professionals may lose their licenses to practice or risk not getting paid, if they deviate from mandatory standard protocols approved by the hospital or practices. A thinking 🤔 adult could figure out a plan for themselves. There is too much metabolic variation between individuals to have a standard diet protocol that works for every human on the planet. Don’t wait for a medical professional or other person to tailor an Individual personal food 🥘 pharmacology plan just for you. Get out your brain and THINK.Thank you Dr Li for compiling your book.
April 19, 2019
I was really excited about the concept, but the book was twice as long as necessary, extremely repetitive, and repeated typical talking points like "rah rah whole grains, soy is a health food, cholesterol is evil, saturated fat is evil" and even touts commercial fruit juices without any caveats whatsoever!
Overall, extremely biased with a few interesting tidbits--and these were so few and far between that I felt like I was reading 300 pages to get 1/10th of the story. Read Jonny Bowden instead: his books are truly unbiased and will get you the real facts behind why everything they say about cholesterol is a lie, why soy is toxic poison to be eaten sparingly and fermented only, and why whole grains aren't half of what they're cracked up to be!
Disappointing.
Overall, extremely biased with a few interesting tidbits--and these were so few and far between that I felt like I was reading 300 pages to get 1/10th of the story. Read Jonny Bowden instead: his books are truly unbiased and will get you the real facts behind why everything they say about cholesterol is a lie, why soy is toxic poison to be eaten sparingly and fermented only, and why whole grains aren't half of what they're cracked up to be!
Disappointing.
April 16, 2019
If I could afford to buy a copy for every person I know I would. Dr. Li presents information about the healing properties of different types of foods and what they do. He never tells you how to eat. He presents the science in a clear and easy to understand way. Even better he shows you how to do research for yourself as well!
November 27, 2022
A 2.5 rating rounded up, very informational
April 8, 2019
The author presents common sense eating! The book is well researched and presented simply to consume foods to help heal oneself. Additionally, eating a balanced diet from the food lists to maintain health. This is an excellent reference book for the health benefits of the individual foods. This is one book that should be in your personal health library. I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway and I thank the author and publisher for proving me this book to review.
February 15, 2022
It should be no surprise that the modern western diet, high in fast food, processed foods, sugary drinks, red meat, and saturated fats is incredibly unhealthy. Mediterranean or eastern diets high in fish, legumes, nuts, olive oil, fruits, and vegetables produces significantly better health outcomes for the populations that eat them. In Eat to Beat Disease, Dr. William Li covers findings from studies around the world that show how certain types of foods produce benefits to one of your body’s five major health defense systems and how they can help your body combat a host of diseases.
The first part of the book covers the five major health defense systems, how they function, and what happens when their internal balance is thrown off. I really enjoyed this section. The mind-boggling complexity and functionality of the human body (at the cellular and microscopic/DNA level) never ceases to blow me away and the author does a good job explain how it all works. The second part of the book covers the various foods that benefit one or more of these five systems. This part was good, but does tend to get a bit repetitive as a result of the way the book was structured. The final portion of the book lays out a roadmap for how to incorporate more of these foods into your own eating patterns complete with health questionnaires and example meal plans. I understand why this last section was included (few people probably change their eating habits after reading a book, so they need their hand held in how to do it, but I just didn’t get much out of the last third of the book and could have skipped it entirely.
Overall, I learned a lot and will be making a concerted effort to incorporate more of the foods below into my diet on a routine basis. Solid 3 stars.
What follows are my notes on the book:
The body has five health defense systems:
1) Angiogenesis
2) Regeneration
3) Microbiome
4) DNA protection
5) Immunity
Angiogenesis is the process of blood vessel formation (for example during pregnancy, healing wounds, or just supplying blood to new tissue when you get fat). Everybody has microscopic tumors as a result of mistakes during millions of cell divisions. Most of these tumors don’t invade organs and the body’s natural angiogenesis disrupters starve them of blood. Sometimes however they overwhelm the body’s defenses and when new blood vessels feed them they grow exponentially and they metastasize by spreading to other organs through your blood. Conditions effected by excessive angiogenesis: macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, various cancers, diabetes, endometriosis, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis. Conditions effected by insufficient angiogenesis: alopecia, erectile dysfunction, heart disease, neuropathy, ulcers.
Regeneration: stem cells play a key role in health by repairing and replacing dead or worn out cells throughout your body. Smoking, air pollution, alcohol, high blood sugar, and diabetes reduce the number and effectiveness of stem cells.
Microbiome: your body is an ecosystem for 36 trillion bacteria (mostly beneficial). A healthy and diverse microbiome is linked to all kinds of positive health outcomes. Bacteria in the gut perform vital functions including synthesizing vitamins and other nutrients as well as breaking down toxins, complex carbohydrates, and fiber.
DNA protection: your body’s genetic code for replicating and repairing mistakes. Radiation (including from the sun) damages DNA. The food we eat plays a critical role in fueling those processes. Telomeres are repetitive sequences of non-coding DNA that protect the chromosome from damage. As we age they get shorter and eventually prevent cells from dividing any more. Certain foods have been show to accelerate or slow the shortening of telomeres.
The Immune system consists of two parts: the innate and adaptive systems. The innate system is the initial firefighter response that attacks intruders and produces other physiological responses like swelling to prevent their spread. The adaptive system, with their various kinds of B and T cells that detect foreign pathogens and then build antibodies to target them. The adaptive system is what creates immunological memory to protect against reoccurrence of a known pathogen.
Certain foods help to keep our angiogenesis system in homeostasis and contain anti-angiogenesis bio-actives:
- Soy beans and soy products (milk, sauce, etc)
- Tea
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Kale
- Berries (blue, straw, rasp, crab, etc)
- Stone fruit (peaches, apricots, plums, etc)
- Seafood (clams, tuna, salmon, halibut, sea bass, lobster, oysters, crab, shrimp, cod)
- Chicken thighs
- Red wine
- Beer
- Cheese
- Olive oil
- Tree Nuts (walnuts, cashews, pecans, almonds, etc)
- Beans
- Dark chocolate (cacao)
Angiogenesis stimulating foods:
- Grains and seeds (barley, sunflower, sesame, chia, etc)
Stem cell boosting:
- Tea
- Berries
- Coffee
- Beer
- Dark chocolate
- Grapes
- Kale
- Mangoes
- Peaches and plums
- Peanuts
- Whole grains
- Green beans
- Red wine
- Spinach
Cancer cell killing foods:
- Apple
- Berries
- Carrots
- Coffee
- Dark chocolate
- Olive oil
- Plums
- Pomegranate
- Purple potatoes
- Walnuts
Feeding our microbiome:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Sourdough
- Pumpernickel
- Kiwi
- Walnuts
- Dark chocolate
- Beans
- Mushrooms
- Pomegranate juice
Key foods for effective DNA processes:
- Broccoli
- Clams
- Kiwi
- Mixed berry juice
- Oranges
- Oysters and Ouster sauce
- Tomato
- Tuna
- Watermelon
DNA repair foods:
- Carrots
- Kiwi
- Tuna
Influences epigenetics:
- Broccoli
- Coffee
- Tea
- Kale
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Soy
Telomere lengthening foods:
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Chestnuts
- Coffee
- Tea
- Peanut Butter
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
Immunity boosting foods:
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Ellagic acid (blackberries, walnuts)
- Cranberry juice
- Blueberries
Immune calming foods:
- Broccoli
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grapefruit
- Tea
- Oranges
- Strawberries
The first part of the book covers the five major health defense systems, how they function, and what happens when their internal balance is thrown off. I really enjoyed this section. The mind-boggling complexity and functionality of the human body (at the cellular and microscopic/DNA level) never ceases to blow me away and the author does a good job explain how it all works. The second part of the book covers the various foods that benefit one or more of these five systems. This part was good, but does tend to get a bit repetitive as a result of the way the book was structured. The final portion of the book lays out a roadmap for how to incorporate more of these foods into your own eating patterns complete with health questionnaires and example meal plans. I understand why this last section was included (few people probably change their eating habits after reading a book, so they need their hand held in how to do it, but I just didn’t get much out of the last third of the book and could have skipped it entirely.
Overall, I learned a lot and will be making a concerted effort to incorporate more of the foods below into my diet on a routine basis. Solid 3 stars.
What follows are my notes on the book:
The body has five health defense systems:
1) Angiogenesis
2) Regeneration
3) Microbiome
4) DNA protection
5) Immunity
Angiogenesis is the process of blood vessel formation (for example during pregnancy, healing wounds, or just supplying blood to new tissue when you get fat). Everybody has microscopic tumors as a result of mistakes during millions of cell divisions. Most of these tumors don’t invade organs and the body’s natural angiogenesis disrupters starve them of blood. Sometimes however they overwhelm the body’s defenses and when new blood vessels feed them they grow exponentially and they metastasize by spreading to other organs through your blood. Conditions effected by excessive angiogenesis: macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, various cancers, diabetes, endometriosis, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis. Conditions effected by insufficient angiogenesis: alopecia, erectile dysfunction, heart disease, neuropathy, ulcers.
Regeneration: stem cells play a key role in health by repairing and replacing dead or worn out cells throughout your body. Smoking, air pollution, alcohol, high blood sugar, and diabetes reduce the number and effectiveness of stem cells.
Microbiome: your body is an ecosystem for 36 trillion bacteria (mostly beneficial). A healthy and diverse microbiome is linked to all kinds of positive health outcomes. Bacteria in the gut perform vital functions including synthesizing vitamins and other nutrients as well as breaking down toxins, complex carbohydrates, and fiber.
DNA protection: your body’s genetic code for replicating and repairing mistakes. Radiation (including from the sun) damages DNA. The food we eat plays a critical role in fueling those processes. Telomeres are repetitive sequences of non-coding DNA that protect the chromosome from damage. As we age they get shorter and eventually prevent cells from dividing any more. Certain foods have been show to accelerate or slow the shortening of telomeres.
The Immune system consists of two parts: the innate and adaptive systems. The innate system is the initial firefighter response that attacks intruders and produces other physiological responses like swelling to prevent their spread. The adaptive system, with their various kinds of B and T cells that detect foreign pathogens and then build antibodies to target them. The adaptive system is what creates immunological memory to protect against reoccurrence of a known pathogen.
Certain foods help to keep our angiogenesis system in homeostasis and contain anti-angiogenesis bio-actives:
- Soy beans and soy products (milk, sauce, etc)
- Tea
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Kale
- Berries (blue, straw, rasp, crab, etc)
- Stone fruit (peaches, apricots, plums, etc)
- Seafood (clams, tuna, salmon, halibut, sea bass, lobster, oysters, crab, shrimp, cod)
- Chicken thighs
- Red wine
- Beer
- Cheese
- Olive oil
- Tree Nuts (walnuts, cashews, pecans, almonds, etc)
- Beans
- Dark chocolate (cacao)
Angiogenesis stimulating foods:
- Grains and seeds (barley, sunflower, sesame, chia, etc)
Stem cell boosting:
- Tea
- Berries
- Coffee
- Beer
- Dark chocolate
- Grapes
- Kale
- Mangoes
- Peaches and plums
- Peanuts
- Whole grains
- Green beans
- Red wine
- Spinach
Cancer cell killing foods:
- Apple
- Berries
- Carrots
- Coffee
- Dark chocolate
- Olive oil
- Plums
- Pomegranate
- Purple potatoes
- Walnuts
Feeding our microbiome:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Sourdough
- Pumpernickel
- Kiwi
- Walnuts
- Dark chocolate
- Beans
- Mushrooms
- Pomegranate juice
Key foods for effective DNA processes:
- Broccoli
- Clams
- Kiwi
- Mixed berry juice
- Oranges
- Oysters and Ouster sauce
- Tomato
- Tuna
- Watermelon
DNA repair foods:
- Carrots
- Kiwi
- Tuna
Influences epigenetics:
- Broccoli
- Coffee
- Tea
- Kale
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Soy
Telomere lengthening foods:
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Chestnuts
- Coffee
- Tea
- Peanut Butter
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
Immunity boosting foods:
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Ellagic acid (blackberries, walnuts)
- Cranberry juice
- Blueberries
Immune calming foods:
- Broccoli
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grapefruit
- Tea
- Oranges
- Strawberries
April 29, 2022
This is Nonfiction/Health. I haven't read this author yet but I liked the title and the genre so I picked it up. The subtitle says "New Science" and it may be newish but a lot of this has been covered already in many other books. BUT..... I really liked how the author laid it all out.
He was very organized as he broke this topic down into usable segments and not once did I feel like I was in a college class (which is a good thing). He also gave some practical application ideas on how to eat better and also what to eat. He seemed to lean toward the Whole Foods Plant Based diet. The microbiome section was my favorite. So for this one....4 stars.
He was very organized as he broke this topic down into usable segments and not once did I feel like I was in a college class (which is a good thing). He also gave some practical application ideas on how to eat better and also what to eat. He seemed to lean toward the Whole Foods Plant Based diet. The microbiome section was my favorite. So for this one....4 stars.
January 29, 2022
I found so much useful and riveting information in this book. Dr. Li explains the five defense systems our bodies employ to protect our health (Angiogenesis, Regeneration, the Microbiome, DNA Protection, and Immunity), and gives us the lowdown on the latest research about foods that support and strengthen each of these systems. The information is fascinating, and he includes helpful lists of protective foods and strategies to help the reader understand and use the information. I haven't tried any of the recipes in the back of the book yet, but I will--they look delicious.
June 18, 2020
Excellent book on the current scientific research helping us understand what foods to eat and how much of any food to eat to help your body heal and stay healthy... I loved this book.
April 2, 2019
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks for your generosity!
I enjoyed this book, and appreciate the amount of research put into it. While I had read many of the "tips" before from multiple sources, it was nice to have it all in one place. It's also a lot of common sense - eat fresh foods over processed, eat more plants...
I was happy to see some recipes in the book, many with surprising combinations that I wouldn't have tried without guidance. I like that the author is more about adding different foods than restricting or removing others from a diet. I personally will voluntarily remove unhealthy choices after I've found a replacement much easier than if I try to just cut foods outright; most authorities automatically demand restrictions, making their diet plans difficult to follow for long periods of time.
Overall, it's a good resource for down-to-Earth eating habits.
I enjoyed this book, and appreciate the amount of research put into it. While I had read many of the "tips" before from multiple sources, it was nice to have it all in one place. It's also a lot of common sense - eat fresh foods over processed, eat more plants...
I was happy to see some recipes in the book, many with surprising combinations that I wouldn't have tried without guidance. I like that the author is more about adding different foods than restricting or removing others from a diet. I personally will voluntarily remove unhealthy choices after I've found a replacement much easier than if I try to just cut foods outright; most authorities automatically demand restrictions, making their diet plans difficult to follow for long periods of time.
Overall, it's a good resource for down-to-Earth eating habits.
June 19, 2022
Ce mananci te hraneste pe tine sau iti hraneste boala? Aceasta este intrebarea la care dr. William W.Li, medic si om de stiinta, doreste sa ne raspunda prin intermediul cartii de fata, una dintre cele mai complexe si inteligente carti despre alimentatie si sanatate. Citind cartea de fata veti asimila numeroase informatii utile, studii despre cum alimentatia poate determina organismul sa se vindece sau sa se pastreze in cea mai buna forma. Cateva informatii interesante extrase din carte:
- organismul detine cinci sisteme de aparare: angiogeneza, regenerarea, microbiomul, protectia ADN-ului si imunitatea.
- angiogeneza este procesul prin care se formeaza vasele de sange; corpul este traversat de 96 000 km de vase sangvine, iar rosiile, ceaiul verde,soia, cafeaua, brana veche pot influenta sistemul de aparare al angiogenezei
- organismul este mentinut in functiune de peste 750 000 de celule stem distribuite in aproape toate organele. Ciocolata neagra, ceaiul negru pot ajuta procesul de regenerare, pe cand fumatul scade nr. celulelor stem, iar cei expusi chiar si 30 de min la fumul exhalat de altcineva sufera de dezachilibrul celulelor; poluarea aerului este la fel de nociva
- organismul contine 40 trilioane de bacterii ce produc metaboliti benefici pentru sanatate, influenteaza angiogeneza si ajuta la producerea de hormoni care influenteaza creierul; asadar, nu toate bacteriile sunt nocive, iar microbiomul poate fi stimulat consumand branza cheddar si paine cu maia
- ADN-ul este atat amprenta noastra genetica, cat si un sistem de aparare care protejeaza impotriva afectiunilor create de radiatiile solare, subs chimice, stres, somn deficitar. Unele alimente ajuta la repararea ADN-ului si lungesc telomerii (terminatiile segmentelor de ADN ce incetinsec imbatranirea); radiatiile solare sunt cele mai nocive pentru ADN, dar si radiatiile emanate din sol, precum radonul, un gaz natural inodor.
-consumul de ceai mentine sanatatea angiogenezei, cel verde fiind cel mai eficient in scaderea sanselor de a dezvolta o boala grava, precum cancerul de colon
- branza contine grasimi, colesterol si sodiu, nocive organismului
-quercetina stimuleaza angiogeneza , inhiba inflamatia, protejeaza impotriva afectiunilor cardiace. Aceasta poate fi gasita in capere, ceapa, coacaze, prune si mere
- nu mai este necesar de mentionat cat de nociva este carnea procesata, aceasta scurtand telomerii si generand substante chimice ce produc inflamatii, care pot crea stres oxidativ in celule si pot degrada ADN-ul.
Acestea sunt doar cateva dintre informatiile pe care le puteti gasi in aceasta carte, cele 500 de pagini fiind cu adevarat valoroase pentru noi toti.
Cartea este tradusa la editura Trei, colectia Lifestyle.
- organismul detine cinci sisteme de aparare: angiogeneza, regenerarea, microbiomul, protectia ADN-ului si imunitatea.
- angiogeneza este procesul prin care se formeaza vasele de sange; corpul este traversat de 96 000 km de vase sangvine, iar rosiile, ceaiul verde,soia, cafeaua, brana veche pot influenta sistemul de aparare al angiogenezei
- organismul este mentinut in functiune de peste 750 000 de celule stem distribuite in aproape toate organele. Ciocolata neagra, ceaiul negru pot ajuta procesul de regenerare, pe cand fumatul scade nr. celulelor stem, iar cei expusi chiar si 30 de min la fumul exhalat de altcineva sufera de dezachilibrul celulelor; poluarea aerului este la fel de nociva
- organismul contine 40 trilioane de bacterii ce produc metaboliti benefici pentru sanatate, influenteaza angiogeneza si ajuta la producerea de hormoni care influenteaza creierul; asadar, nu toate bacteriile sunt nocive, iar microbiomul poate fi stimulat consumand branza cheddar si paine cu maia
- ADN-ul este atat amprenta noastra genetica, cat si un sistem de aparare care protejeaza impotriva afectiunilor create de radiatiile solare, subs chimice, stres, somn deficitar. Unele alimente ajuta la repararea ADN-ului si lungesc telomerii (terminatiile segmentelor de ADN ce incetinsec imbatranirea); radiatiile solare sunt cele mai nocive pentru ADN, dar si radiatiile emanate din sol, precum radonul, un gaz natural inodor.
-consumul de ceai mentine sanatatea angiogenezei, cel verde fiind cel mai eficient in scaderea sanselor de a dezvolta o boala grava, precum cancerul de colon
- branza contine grasimi, colesterol si sodiu, nocive organismului
-quercetina stimuleaza angiogeneza , inhiba inflamatia, protejeaza impotriva afectiunilor cardiace. Aceasta poate fi gasita in capere, ceapa, coacaze, prune si mere
- nu mai este necesar de mentionat cat de nociva este carnea procesata, aceasta scurtand telomerii si generand substante chimice ce produc inflamatii, care pot crea stres oxidativ in celule si pot degrada ADN-ul.
Acestea sunt doar cateva dintre informatiile pe care le puteti gasi in aceasta carte, cele 500 de pagini fiind cu adevarat valoroase pentru noi toti.
Cartea este tradusa la editura Trei, colectia Lifestyle.
November 24, 2019
I wish there were more specifics about how the body could actually heal itself through food, depending on which illness one is suffering from. Doctors will never agree on nutrition guidelines, so when Dr. Li makes the claim that red wine is one of the top anti-cancer foods, I have to take it with a grain of salt as I've seen other doctors say all alcohol is "bad," including red wine. With my current health condition, any type of alcohol will make me sick so I don't see any of these tips as a one-size-fits-all.
Overall, I found a few good pieces of information here about different foods that I didn't know before and will refer to some of it as I continue on my road to recovery. Side note: I'm happy to know black tea is a prebiotic that reaches the intestines, so I'll use that as an excuse to keep sippin' away (with only a bit of guilt for the caffeine I'm consuming but should be staying away from).
Overall, I found a few good pieces of information here about different foods that I didn't know before and will refer to some of it as I continue on my road to recovery. Side note: I'm happy to know black tea is a prebiotic that reaches the intestines, so I'll use that as an excuse to keep sippin' away (with only a bit of guilt for the caffeine I'm consuming but should be staying away from).
March 28, 2023
I found this really helpful and somehow scored in the low-risk zone which is good but surprising. But still have many things I need to work on and love the approach of eating 5x5x5 as that makes it easy and not so limiting in choice. Lots of the foods recommended are ones we already incorporate in our diet. A useful read for general health from a food not drug approach. I don’t know if I agree with him on everything but it was nice to read.
April 19, 2023
14 hours of an audio book that reads like a medical textbook! I got so engrossed though in all the details on how our body’s defense systems work. Can’t wait to start on his newer book Eat to Beat Your Diet.
January 2, 2024
I enjoyed the shared research, clinical trials and easily digestible (see what I did there) food categories for everyday planning. A solid read.
March 16, 2019
There is a lot of information in this book. The good thing is that it was written so that I could understand it. There have been books on nutrition and it’s effects on disease and the body that we’re good but difficult to get through. I didn’t have that problem with this book. The author did a good job explaining things without forcing me to look up every other word. Considering the fact the first portion of this book will have you feeling like you are in school, I was very happy to see this.
I love the listing of what foods you can enjoy that are helping your body. The author doesn’t say here are five foods, eat them for health whether you like them or not. Instead we are told to go through the list so we can choose food we already love along with some that we may want to try. I really like this not only because I’m not the most adventurous in food, but because I live where finding everything might be challenging and then there is cost. Having the list and being able to just pick off the food you enjoy, can easily find and fits the food budget is as important as the knowledge about nutrition. The truth is that what we eat has a direct affect on our body and health. Food can harm or heal. To do either, though, the food has to be available and what we want to eat. I like the authors 5x5x5 Framework in the last part of the book. It should be noted that this isn’t for weight loss, (though I think healthier eating does help with that). This is an easy way to add disease fighting food to your diet. You pick 5 foods that you add to your diet and enjoy them 5 times a day. Your goal with them is to cover the 5 defense systems that you read about in the book. I love that I can choose to eat them together or eat them as part of meals and snacks. The last portion of the book is where you will find the lists, along with recipes to try, tips on incorporating the food to your menu, a sample menu to help guide you and a section on assessing your risk.
I recommend this book for people who are interested in healthy eating. I won an advanced copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways. The final book may differ from my copy.
I love the listing of what foods you can enjoy that are helping your body. The author doesn’t say here are five foods, eat them for health whether you like them or not. Instead we are told to go through the list so we can choose food we already love along with some that we may want to try. I really like this not only because I’m not the most adventurous in food, but because I live where finding everything might be challenging and then there is cost. Having the list and being able to just pick off the food you enjoy, can easily find and fits the food budget is as important as the knowledge about nutrition. The truth is that what we eat has a direct affect on our body and health. Food can harm or heal. To do either, though, the food has to be available and what we want to eat. I like the authors 5x5x5 Framework in the last part of the book. It should be noted that this isn’t for weight loss, (though I think healthier eating does help with that). This is an easy way to add disease fighting food to your diet. You pick 5 foods that you add to your diet and enjoy them 5 times a day. Your goal with them is to cover the 5 defense systems that you read about in the book. I love that I can choose to eat them together or eat them as part of meals and snacks. The last portion of the book is where you will find the lists, along with recipes to try, tips on incorporating the food to your menu, a sample menu to help guide you and a section on assessing your risk.
I recommend this book for people who are interested in healthy eating. I won an advanced copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways. The final book may differ from my copy.
July 9, 2022
Since the release of this book in early 2019, more studies have cast doubts on what Dr. Li preaches. This book trumpeted the "red wine and dark chocolate" craze, then toned down that cheerleader rush with "in moderation."
There is vast difference between correlation and causation. Correlation does not imply causation. Dr. Li lulls us to group think it does.
The reader will even find recommendations to, yeah, go ahead, have a beer or several. Really? Ferment refined carbohydrate to the point it chemically mutates to ethanol...how can that be good for you?
Oh, and that expensive, glossy wrapped dark chocolate bar we think is can-you-believe-it health food? The mass process manufacturing run by the global confectionary industry replace most of the beneficial flavanols with sugar and saturated fat.
There is vast difference between correlation and causation. Correlation does not imply causation. Dr. Li lulls us to group think it does.
The reader will even find recommendations to, yeah, go ahead, have a beer or several. Really? Ferment refined carbohydrate to the point it chemically mutates to ethanol...how can that be good for you?
Oh, and that expensive, glossy wrapped dark chocolate bar we think is can-you-believe-it health food? The mass process manufacturing run by the global confectionary industry replace most of the beneficial flavanols with sugar and saturated fat.
March 15, 2019
Excellent book. Helped me to further understand that our food is our most important medicine. Great combination of examples and recipes combined with very scientific details, which I like! I want to understand the ins and outs of things and this book does that. I would highly recommend for anyone who is trying to learn more about their own personal health journey or even medical professionals who integrate nutrition into their patients' health plans.
April 2, 2019
First I would like to state that I have received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. This book was an interesting read. It could be a life-changing book. Even if you consider yourself savvy about nutrition. This book is a time commitment, but pay-off could be priceless.
February 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/jessskoog/status/...
Very informative book which makes sense. I appreciated how the science behind this theory was clear. It provides information that the reader can practically use as a stepping stone to health. I like the concept of defending your health, after all that’s what we should all aim for on a daily basis.
Very informative book which makes sense. I appreciated how the science behind this theory was clear. It provides information that the reader can practically use as a stepping stone to health. I like the concept of defending your health, after all that’s what we should all aim for on a daily basis.
April 5, 2019
A great resource to begin healthy eating. I especially love the break down to what foods help you avoid the chronic illnesses most come down with or are diagnosed with in their later years. This book also contains a number of recipes in the back portion.
A great read.
A great read.
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