Quotes from Michael Greger

What do your friendly flora eat? Fiber and a certain type of starch concentrated in beans. These substances are called prebiotics. Probiotics are the good bacteria themselves, whereas prebiotics are what your good bacteria eat. So the best way to keep your good bacteria happy and well fed is to eat lots of whole plant foods.

The healthiest sources of iron are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green, leafy vegetables. Avoid drinking tea with meals, as that can inhibit iron absorption. Consuming vitamin C–rich foods can improve iron absorption. The amount of vitamin C in a single orange can enhance iron absorption as much as three- to sixfold, so those trying to boost their iron absorption should reach for some fruit instead of a cup of tea.80

When you eat fresh produce, you can get both pre- and probiotics into your gut. Fruits and veggies are covered with millions of lactic acid bacteria, some of which are the same types used in probiotic supplements. When you make sauerkraut, for example, you don't need to add a starter culture, because the bacteria are already naturally present on cabbage leaves. Including raw fruits and vegetables in your daily diet may therefore offer the best of both worlds.

A study entitled "Death Row Nutrition: Curious Conclusions of Last Meals" analyzed the last meal requests of hundreds of individuals executed in the United States during a five-year period. It turns out that the nutritional content didn't differ much from what Americans normally eat.48 If we continue to eat as though we're having our last meals, eventually they will be.

The optimal LDL cholesterol level is probably 50 or 70 mg/dL, and apparently, the lower, the better. That's

To store one hundred calories of dietary fat as body fat, it only takes three calories of energy, but converting one hundred calories of dietary carbs into fat for storage takes twenty-three calories.

as effectively as first-line statin drugs, but without the risks.39 In fact, the "side effects" of healthy eating tend to be good—less cancer and diabetes risk and protection of the liver and brain, as we'll explore throughout the rest of this book.

the steady rise in life expectancy observed in the modern era may soon come to an end and the youth of today may, on average, live less healthy and possibly even shorter lives than their parents."22

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

the only critical risk factor for atherosclerotic plaque buildup is cholesterol, specifically elevated LDL cholesterol in your blood.

The optimal LDL cholesterol level is probably 50 or 70 mg/dL,

man scatters seed on the ground … the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how." Had the farmer from scripture postponed his sowing until he understood the biology of seed germination, he wouldn't have lasted very long.

In other words, it wasn't the weight loss and it wasn't the exercise that reversed cell aging—it was the food.

There are also components in certain foods that may increase the risk of depression, such as arachidonic acid, an inflammation-promoting compound found mostly in chicken and eggs in the diet that is blamed for potentially impairing mood by inflaming the brain.

Leanwashing is the term used to describe companies that try to position themselves as helping to solve the obesity crisis when, instead, they're directly contributing to it.

China is perhaps the best-studied example. There, a transition away from the country's traditional, plant-based diet was accompanied by a sharp rise in diet-related chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.38

But feed people four servings a week of beans, split peas, chickpeas, and lentils, and you can get a whopping 40 percent drop in C-reactive protein,2368 a leading indicator of systemic inflammation. More beans equals less inflammation. Greater consumption

Note that to break a bad habit or create a new one, we have to select a new action (eat an apple) rather than just give up an existing behavior (don't eat potato chips).3798 To activate the habit-forming mechanism, you likely need a new alternative response, rather than a nonresponse.

I think the only medical professional who ever asked me about a family member's diet was our veterinarian.

Apple antioxidants are concentrated in the peel, which makes sense: The skin is the fruit's first line of defense against the outside world. Expose the inner flesh, and it starts to brown (oxidize) within moments. The antioxidant power of the peel may be between two times (Golden Delicious) to six times (Idared) greater than the pulp.

In fact, if you step outside on a sunny day, there's enough light reaching your brain that you could actually read this page inside your skull.

A 10 percent saltwater rinse has been found to work as well as full-strength vinegar.86 To make your own pesticide-reducing bath, add one part salt to nine parts water. Just make sure to rinse off all the salt before eating.

My grandma was given her medical death sentence at age sixty-five. Thanks to a healthy diet and lifestyle, she was able to enjoy another thirty-one years on this earth with her six grandchildren. The woman who was once told by doctors she only had weeks to live didn't die until she was ninety-six years old.

Split red or orange lentils are even easier. They're ready in five minutes, quicker than boiling pasta.2372 Once they've softened, rinse them to cool, then mix with herbs and lemon juice for a basic legume salad. Another favorite of mine is to cook lentils a little longer so they thicken into almost a purée before adding spices like curry, turmeric, cumin, and garam masala for a thick, savory, and healthy Indian-inspired sauce.