Eat Plants Feel Whole

by George E Guthrie

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Eat Plants Feel Whole is a tutorial and recipe plan guide to plant based whole food diets and lifestyle changes which promote health presented by Dr. George E. Guthrie. Released 15th Oct 2019 by AdventHealth Press, it's 420 pages and available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an evidence-based science forward look at plant based whole foods and the benefits they provide in terms of health and wellness. The author writes authoritatively and enthusiastically (he's a medical doctor with additional qualifications in nutrition studies).

The book's language throughout is layman accessible; most readers with a basic education won't have any trouble following his reasoning or the advice he gives on diet, food, and lifestyle adjustments. Dr. Guthrie has developed a plan which he outlines: the food (including a fairly brutal assessment of the typical modern diet - full of trans fats, meats, refined sugars, and preservatives), lifestyle, and the "Eat Plants Feel Whole" plan - including a quickstart guide to follow for 18 days to see immediate benefits. The foods and recipes included are quite specific and the author explains how to choose foods (where there are choices) for different situations and benefits.

Throughout the book the author discusses chronic illness (specifically obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease) and cautions readers to be aware if they are using specific medications or have been diagnosed with specific conditions and when to seek advice from caregivers before changing diet or exercise regimes abruptly.

The book contains a number of good supportive resource materials including pantry/fridge/freezer checklists, daily meal plans (and the recipes), comprehensive bibliography and links lists, and a cross referenced index.

With the understanding that lifestyle and diet changes can provide remarkable health benefits, this could be the impetus that some readers need to begin to make a difference in their health and lives. My only quibble is that occasionally during reading it felt like the author was fervently and zealously proselytizing and marketing his system (including ads for educational materials, tote bags, and tumblers in the back of the book). The author's personal faith is mentioned in context a few times through the book which wasn't a problem, but might be for some readers.

Four stars. There's a lot of very useful information here and evidence based practice supporting these changes for improved health. Definitely worth a read and a trial run (18 days isn't long at all to give a good solid try).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.