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How Not to Die

Written by: Michael Greger MD FACLM, Gene Stone
Narrated by: Michael Greger MD FACLM
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Publisher's Summary

New York Times Bestseller

“This book may help those who are susceptible to illnesses that can be prevented.”—His Holiness the Dalai Lama

“Absolutely the best book I’ve read on nutrition and diet” –Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones Solution

From the physician behind the wildly popular website NutritionFacts.org, How Not to Die reveals the groundbreaking scientific evidence behind the only diet that can prevent and reverse many of the causes of disease-related death.

The vast majority of premature deaths can be prevented through simple changes in diet and lifestyle. In How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger, the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, examines the fifteen top causes of premature death in America-heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson's, high blood pressure, and more-and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can sometimes trump prescription pills and other pharmaceutical and surgical approaches, freeing us to live healthier lives.

The simple truth is that most doctors are good at treating acute illnesses but bad at preventing chronic disease. The fifteen leading causes of death claim the lives of 1.6 million Americans annually. This doesn't have to be the case. By following Dr. Greger's advice, all of it backed up by strong scientific evidence, you will learn which foods to eat and which lifestyle changes to make to live longer.

History of prostate cancer in your family? Put down that glass of milk and add flaxseed to your diet whenever you can. Have high blood pressure? Hibiscus tea can work better than a leading hypertensive drug-and without the side effects. Fighting off liver disease? Drinking coffee can reduce liver inflammation. Battling breast cancer? Consuming soy is associated with prolonged survival. Worried about heart disease (the number 1 killer in the United States)? Switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet, which has been repeatedly shown not just to prevent the disease but often stop it in its tracks.

In addition to showing what to eat to help treat the top fifteen causes of death, How Not to Die includes Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen -a checklist of the twelve foods we should consume every day. Full of practical, actionable advice and surprising, cutting edge nutritional science, these doctor's orders are just what we need to live longer, healthier lives.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2015 Michael Greger, MD (P)2015 Macmillan Audio

Editorial Review

Fed up with endless diets and quick-fixes for obtaining peak fitness and that perfect body? The fact-based, no-nonsense How Not to Die reveals a simple approach to improving your health, well-being, and longevity: eating and living sensibly.

So many health problems can be prevented by following sound nutrition science. Rooting your life in good habits, clean eating, and a balanced lifestyle is fundamental to maintaining great health. In How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger focuses on preventative measures to help reduce or eliminate major ailments linked to premature death. A physician and leading nutrition expert, the author bases his claims on research studies documenting how simple changes in dietary and lifestyle habits decrease the risk of common medical concerns. Science suggests: a smart and sensible diet has the potential to not only increase the length of your life but also improve its quality.

Narrating his own work, Dr. Greger provides a straightforward and comprehensive guide to choosing the right foods to reduce your chances of contracting one of the top life-threatening conditions in North America such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Putting science and nutrition to the test, How Not to Die shows that what we put into our body, from fresh leafy green vegetables to coffee, has a direct and often dramatic effect on long-term health.

From listing the 12 foods we all should be eating every day to giving specific examples of foods and activities that will combat major ailments and diseases, Dr. Greger pairs cutting-edge nutritional science with years of medical experience and packages it in a comprehensive, actionable plan. How Not to Die is the perfect audiobook for anyone serious about taking their health and life into their own hands.

What listeners say about How Not to Die

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Amazing book- changed the way I think about food

This book has taught me so many new things about food and what it can do for our body. Would recommend to anyone and everyone!

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An incredible, insightful, well rounded read.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about nutrition as a whole. Take it bit by bit, this is not a book to binge, savour and enjoy it. There’s a lot of critical information in here, you don’t want to miss it.

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best book ever

well done,well read, best book I've read in years. try it you won't be sorry.

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Everyone needs to read/listen to this book!

We all need to listen to this book, then go out and buy the hard copy for an excellent reference and sign up for the free website that has data driven nutrition facts. Amazing! No more fad diets, Keto, low carb, or anything other than data driven, evidence based nutrition...this was long overdue! Thank you Dr. Greger!!!

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Great Information

so much great Information well written and researched. recommended for any one and everyone #audible1

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Great Book

Loved this book, read it, have a digital copy and wanted the Audible copy so I could listen to it all the time. I have heard the book many times now and there is just so much information in it that there are items I missed or forgot so you need this book. Great for improving your health while you drive to work. I gave my doctor a copy and she now recommends it to her patients. #Audible1

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THE BEST!

This is amazing. One of my all time favourites. So much knowledge. So much information. So motivating. So inspiring. If you’re looking for a “reason” to get your health back or “get back on track” this should do it. This book will make you care about your health, and it will give you reasons why & how. This is my third time listen to it, yes THIRD! And I plan on listening to it over and over. I love this book (and I love how not to diet, AND the cook books) oh and I love Dr. Greger to! 11+ years of listening to him when I turned 20, and he changed my life for the best. Thank you Dr. Micheal Greger & Team for all the hard work you do for everyone!

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Lifesaving and lifechanging

I recommend every person to read this book. It could potentially save your life and the ones around you.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Dr. G - please write a more advanced book!

This is an excellent book if not familiar with Dr. Greger's work, and a good one even if you are. Short story: Go to the author's website: NutritionFacts.org.

By 'overall' I mean WRITING, for performance the NARRATION and narrator, story means CONTENT. I could listen to the worst narrator read great literature and a great narrator reciting the telephone book and be satisfied. This book is excellent and very good respectively. The first part is mostly data and conclusions, the second part is about specific types of food. Works for me.

Writing: 4/5 -- I didn't buy this for writing, I bought it for facts. Facts-a-plenty here and well-organized. I might get the hard copy to do a quick read. However, the very best thing about this book is the fact that the author did something that no other author did in all of my 20 audible books or any of my Scribd audio books I have listened to -- he titled the chapters! This alone makes it a great deal.

Narration: 5/5 -- Excellent. I find Dr. G's voice sincere and amusing. Best he is the author. Although typically I prefer a deep voiced narrator who talks slow, Dr. G's slightly nasal fast voice and his unplaceable-to-me regional accent suits me fine, especially as like all narrators I slow it down to 85% or less. I started with this hilarious yet deadly serious video on youtube and got hooked to check in at his website periodically...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7KeRwdIH04

Content: 3.5/5 -- But, "Tell me something I don't already know Dr. Greger!" For over five years I have watched many of his videos and read some of his reports -- both on his free website. I am a virtually life-long (45 years) ethical vegetarian eating only whole foods, on what he calls "plant-based diet". So he is 'preaching to the converted' for 17 hours. Never the less I did learn many fascinating practical specific dietary things. However, the gist of the book is, repeatedly verified by scientific studies -- give up all flesh foods (meat, fish, poultry, etc), also ideally stop all eggs and milk products. Yawn. I backslid and when lazy on the road I started eating eggs in the 1980s (only free range now, which I suspect they are not truly) and for six months I have been eating shellfish once a week, and dairy (especially kefir) whenever I can get my hands on it at the church foodbank where I volunteer. The data has me questioning whether I should better be 90% vegetarian or become vegan for the first time in my life, in 'middle age'. My resistence is not based on science but simply the offensive and fanatical social justice warrior mentality of vegans and not wanting to be elitist (and anti-social).

Sample enlightenments (I have simplified).

- Dr. Michael Greger's work is (was?) blessed with the sponsorshop of a Canadian couple, that's why it is free

- Does 4 Brazil nuts per week reduces LDL cholesterol for a month?

- fish oil is snake oil

- frying fish carries a airborne health risk

- supplements useless compared to real food

- the most antioxidants are in herbs and spices

- saffron helpful in Alzheimer's

- cardio exercise (but not strength and flexibility) exercise useful in preventing Alzheimer's

- defecating soon-after-eating and in volume is a good sign

- men can donate blood to reduce heme iron overload

- hard alcohol in moderation is useful *only* for those leading unhealthy lives and eating a poor diet. For those who are not, it is counter-productive

- is red wine good for you? Sure, but grape juice is better

- *unpublished* research on drugs show them to be ineffective against depression

- Harvard studies show vegan diet ideal however they don't promote because 'unrealistic'

- USDA has contradictory responsibilities (one is supporting animal husbandry)

- kimchee is NOT healthy (stomach cancer rates high in Korea), but miso, despite high-salt levels is healthy, especially if soup includes garlic/onions

- fruit despite fructose does NOT spike insulin

- goji, barberries, pomegranate and tart cherries all include melatonin

- dried apples reduce LDL

- cruciferous veggies best cut and left to sit before cooking

- alfalfa sprouts get salmonella

- sweet potatoes much more nutritious than potatoes

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    5 out of 5 stars

a real eye opener

I loved this book so much, I literally couldnt put it down. it actually made me start looking at my diet way different . thank you !

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