The Diet Myth : The Real Science Behind What We Eat

We are all increasingly bewildered by the simple question of what to eat. Despite advice from experts, governments and dieticians about the dangers of too much fat, sugar, protein and lack of exercise, our nutrition - and the global obesity crisis - is getting worse. Why can one person eat a certain meal and gain weight and another eat exactly the same food and lose pounds? Genes provide part of the answer, but we have been overlooking one vital aspect of diet that lies within us. Thanks to recent breakthroughs, scientists have begun to examine the permanent residents in our guts: the thousands of previously unknown but essential microbes whose job it is to digest our food and keep us alive. Drawing on the latest science and his own research team's pioneering work, Professor Tim Spector explores the hidden world of the microbiome and demystifies the common misconceptions about fat, calories, vitamins and nutrients. Only by understanding how our own microbes interact with our bodies can we overcome our confusion about modern diets and nutrition to regain the correct balance of our ancestors. Mixing cutting-edge discoveries, illuminating science and his own case studies, Spector shows why we should stop listening to the myths of diet fads and instead embrace diversity for a healthy gut and a healthy body. A revealing new book that shows the key to health and weight loss isn't which foods we eat--it's the microbes already inside usWhat should we eat? It's a simple and fundamental question that still bewilders us, despite a seemingly infinite amount of available information on which foods are best for our bodies. Scientists, dieticians, and even governments regularly publish research on the dangers of too much fat and sugar, as well as on the benefits of exercise, and yet the global obesity crisis is only worsening. Most diet plans prove to be only short-term solutions, and few strategies work for everyone. Why can one person eat a certain meal and gain weight, while another eating the same meal drops pounds? Part of the truth lies in genetics, but more and more, scientists are finding that the answer isn't so much what we put into our stomachs, but rather the essential digestive microbes already in them. Drawing on the latest science and his team's own pioneering research, The Diet Myth explores the hidden world of the microbiome, and demystifies the common misconceptions about fat, calories, vitamins, and nutrients. Dr. Tim Spector shows us that only by understanding what makes our own personal microbes tick and interact can we overcome the confusion of modern nutrition, allowing us to regain natural balance in our bodies. Countless recent scientific papers have been written on weight-loss topics like prebiotics and fructans, and The Diet Myth gathers these latest findings into one place, revealing new information about how best to lose weight and manage our bodies. Mixing cutting-edge discoveries, illuminating science, and his own case studies, Spector reveals why we should abandon fads and instead embrace diversity for a balanced diet, a healthy stomach, and a nourished body A revealing new book that shows the key to health and weight loss isn't which foods we eat—it's the microbes already inside usWhat should we eat? It's a simple and fundamental question that still bewilders us, despite a seemingly infinite amount of available information on which foods are best for our bodies. Scientists, dieticians, and even governments regularly publish research on the dangers of too much fat and sugar, as well as on the benefits of exercise, and yet the global obesity crisis is only worsening. Most diet plans prove to be only short-term solutions, and few strategies work for everyone. Why can one person eat a certain meal and gain weight, while another eating the same meal drops pounds? Part of the truth lies in genetics, but more and more, scientists are finding that the answer isn't so much what we put into our stomachs, but rather the essential digestive microbes already in them. Drawing on the latest science and his team's own pioneering... SCI000000; MED060000 Most diet plans prove to be only short-term solutions, and few strategies work for everyone. Spector believes the key to health and weight loss isn't which foods we eat-- it's the essential digestive microbes already inside us. He explores the hidden world of the microbiome, and demystifies the common misconceptions about fat, calories, vitamins, and nutrients. Only by understanding what makes our own personal microbes tick and interact can we overcome the confusion of modern nutrition, allowing us to regain natural balance in our bodies "From the author of Identically Different comes a new look at nutritional health, showing us that breakthrough research on microbiomes--the microbes in our stomachs--could hold the key to healthy, balanced diets, "--Novelist " A concise, entertaining book that demystifies the benefits of balanced microbes through healthier eating" by a physician and professor of epidemiology. ( Kirkus Reviews)