Book Review: Super Immunity by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
3:26 PM Posted by Mommy Is Green
If you had a way to prevent becoming sick you would take advantage of that, right? I know I would. Even having a cold sets me back by draining my energy and dampening my mood. But what if you could also decrease your chances of getting a disease like cancer? It would be even more difficult not to take advantage of that!
There's no doubt that we've become accustomed to eating highly processed foods with complicated chemical ingredients. They are cheap and convenient. Unfortunately, those foods only lead to obesity and health problems. They do not help our body to function as it is meant to function. As a result, we become more vulnerable to illnesses. That's why I decided to read a new book that encourages wellness through eating habits called Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body's Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free by Joel Fuhrman, M.D..
What we eat has everything to do with our health, and, unfortunately, too many of us are living with a severely depleted immune function. Our dietary choices are making us sicker, shortening our lives, and costing us billions of dollars in doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications. But Dr. Fuhrman doesn’t believe more medical care is the answer. Rather, he explains the solution is to change the way we eat. The standard American diet is nutrient deficient. We are eating too many highly processed foods, foods with added sweeteners, and animal fats and protein. At the same time, we are not eating enough fruits, beans, seeds, and vegetables, which leaves us lacking in hundreds of the most important immune-building compounds. By changing our diets and combining foods that contain powerful immune-strengthening capabilities, we can prevent most common modern diseases.
I was very intrigued by this book and kept wanting to read more. I felt the science was easy to understand and my eyes were definitely opened to some new ideas regarding diet. I can admit that although I have an organic diet I probably still don't eat well enough to boost my immune system to it's full potential. After reading this book I realized there's more to just eating healthy. That it's the combination of specific foods together that makes our bodies perform the way they should.
I really enjoyed the book as a whole but I did have some favorite parts. The first two involved the coffee question and the soy debate. These are two things I was very interested in learning about. There has been a lot of buzz, both positive and negative, about soy lately. So I found the information on soy extremely helpful.
My other favorite part explains how if you do get sick with the cold or flu, that you can get better faster with the right diet. I'm going to say that this book does challenge some of the things we've always believed to be true. Like how chicken soup will make a cold better. Instead, Dr. Fuhrman explains how vegetable soup is a better option because your body has to work harder to digest the chicken protein which can actually set you back while you're sick. I don't believe he's saying that vegetable soup will cure a cold, but that it is a better option when sick than chicken soup. As much as I'd love to hold on to old ideas and eating habits, I know change doesn't happen unless we embrace new knowledge. So I took the challenge to old beliefs in stride.
Super Immunity is all about making food work toward health. But it doesn't leave you hanging and wondering how to put the program to work. There are 85 immune-boosting recipes and a two-week eating plan included in the book. Some of the recipes are: Very Berry Smoothie, Spinach Salad with Strawberry Sesame Vinaigrette, and Acorn Squash Supreme. Those sounds pretty delicious in my opinion.
I found this book to be both educational and practical. I learned a lot from this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle and be well. It's totally worth the read!
For more from Dr. Fuhrman, be sure to visit his web site, www.drfuhrman.com, and follow him on Facebook & Twitter!
You can also Text keyword "SUPERIMMUNITY"
to READIT (732348) for bonus content.
to READIT (732348) for bonus content.
I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. I was provided with a copy of the book free of charge for review. The opinions expressed here are my own. Please see Terms of Use for more information.
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October 4, 2011 10:26 PM
This sounds like a really interesting book - like you said, if we could decrease the likelihood of getting sick (or worse), why in the world wouldn't we?
October 5, 2011 9:42 AM
Interesting book! I'm one of those that really needs to be educated as much as possible so this book will come in handy.. BTW! It makes kinda sense the chicken soup part, for sure chicken will take longer to digest..
October 5, 2011 11:17 PM
I enjoy this type of book and as I grow older (and wiser), I'm beginning to fully understand the message behind eating healthy for a healthier body and trying to actually live it. I'm consuming more vegetables than ever before and rarely get sick (knock on wood). I'll have to see if my library has the book. Thanks for sharing!
October 19, 2011 2:52 AM
Thanks for your thoughtful review. The book sounds interesting and a great read because I like to be healthy and when I do get sick I like to use holistic, natural methods to wellness whenever possible.
October 21, 2011 2:08 PM
That is so interesting about chicken soup! I've found that I'm more inclined to accept something if I know the WHY behind it (such as with chicken soup). If a book gives me the why, then I'm more likely to embrace it.
Thanks for being on the tour and writing such a thoughtful review!
October 27, 2011 9:39 PM
I'll definitely put this on my list! Everyone around me is sick and I'm trying like heck to fight it off!