Bryson is a wonderful travel guide, and this time around he takes us through an enjoyable tour of the human body. The book is surprisingly detailed, fBryson is a wonderful travel guide, and this time around he takes us through an enjoyable tour of the human body. The book is surprisingly detailed, for a popular-science book. Bryson exhibits his usual knack for the extraordinary and unusual, but despite veering close to it at times, he avoids the pitfall of making this book just a tour of the oddities of the human body.
Bryson takes just enough such detours to keep us amused, but just like a good tour guide ensures that we are adequately educated as well. The best thing about Bryson, as best exhibited in A Short History of Nearly Everything, is his knack to make everything he touches so memorable. I am sure if a quiz was added after each chapter, most of his readers would fare very well in them. Did you know it takes more time for food to move through a woman's digestive system, than a man's? Who would've thought to include that in an anatomy book?
However, is this the best book to pick up if you are interested in reading about the Human Body? It might be the most fun book, but I am sure even Bryson would recommend Daniel Lieberman's The Story of the Human Body over his own book if you could read just one anatomy book. After all, he refers to Lieberman so often that it sometimes feels like this whole book is nothing but a detailed review of Lieberman's magnum opus. If you can spare the time for two, by all means, get both.
Towards the end, Bryson comes to the real point of why we are reading the book - how to keep ourselves healthy. He takes us through a tour of nutrition science, exercise science and even of mortality. In the end, Bryson leaves us with the message that it is not that difficult to live a good life - you just have to take good care of your most precious resource - your Body....more
Scary stuff, but as is the case for all nutrition science, it is more smoke than fire here too. I prefer to use Pollan's simple rules as far as nutritScary stuff, but as is the case for all nutrition science, it is more smoke than fire here too. I prefer to use Pollan's simple rules as far as nutrition is concerned, instead of obsessing over the latest science, latest recommendations, specific diets, super-foods, super-villains etc.
That said, Perlmutter's work is still useful. It will make you think twice about hating on fat-based and cholesterol-containing foods, and finding comfort with more carbs.
"Brain dysfunction starts in your daily bread, and I’m going to prove it. Modern grains are silently destroying your brain," Perlmutter says, and that is not even the most melodramatic line in the book.
The discussions on insulin and leptin regulation and their roles is the highlight of the book for me. High insulin (from high intake of carbs) and low leptin (from less sleep and stress) wages war in your body and makes you fat, stupid and less fun to be around. Also, he more or less convinces the reader that we are ALL gluten sensitive - though I am not planning to go gluten-free anytime soon.
After elaborate discussions on the effect of carbohydrates on the brain and the body, Perlmutter recommends for all a diet low in carbs and sugar, high in fat, plenty of activity and intermittent fasting along with plenty of restful sleep. This is his prescription for a healthier and longer lasting brain, body and life....more
I am glad that I had a large Pizza and a KFC burger at the Delhi airport before I started this book. Adios fatty fries, triple Written on May 29, 2012:
I am glad that I had a large Pizza and a KFC burger at the Delhi airport before I started this book. Adios fatty fries, triple-decker domes and cheesy discs, you will be missed. Ignorance is indeed bliss sometimes.
Update: June 22, 2014
I am happy to report that I have largely stuck to this. Ever since reading this I have virtually avoided this sort of trash and must have eaten a maximum of a couple of burgers and pizzas in the last two years (and that too most reluctantly, when unavoidable). Thanks, Schlosser....more
Loading...
