this may be the most cutting edge and evidence based diet for women
The Proof is in the Plants: How Science Shows a Plant Based Diet Could Save Your Life (and the Planet) by Simon Hill
book nook (first published late Spring 2022)
I know your parent(s) probably told you "you're what you eat". When it comes to women's (XX) health, nothing could be more impactful than getting the whole nutrition thing nailed down once and for all. The high-risk post-partum women I see almost every day usually have diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and a BMI that is hands down beyond what is considered ideal. It’s hard, though, right? There are so many mixed messages that we often feel at a loss. Even as someone in the healthcare industry, I get perplexed over nutrition. (Yes, I said industry and for a very good reason). Believe me, in today’s world especially, your doctor was not educated about nutrition in med school. Most of your nurses, especially the new grads and professionally novice nurse, weren’t taught about nutrition either. But given that, on average, a third of Americans are now considered obese, this is really a big deal because so many things that can kill us or at least slow us down are connected simply to what we put in our mouths.
This is the book I've been waiting for. I just didn't know it. After listening to Rich Roll's podcast interview with Australian Simon Hill in early 2022, I just had to get my hands on this inaugural book as quickly as possible at the time. Hill lives up to his promise to deliver impartial and agenda free information and the reader is left feeling less overwhelmed and more empowered with the turning of each page. The book is heavily weighted in hard core science yet simultaneously user friendly so the mainstream reader can determine their own practice for personal food choices. If scientific research isn't your vibe, though, no need to fear. He does an excellent job explaining, in brief, the nuts and bolts of solid research and why it seriously matters. He also has a great pyramid diagram illustrating the hierarchy of studies so the reader understands why one type of study is stronger than another. Hill is not condemning and leaves one with wide margins as he cites the current research that show the best evidence-based practice as 85% plant-predominant diet. And he is amazingly adept at navigating the tribalism that is so prevalent in the nutrition wars today. As a healthcare professional, I found this liberating. Because, truth be told, we all need to be clearer on nutrition. I’m going to bring this up again. Have you ever asked your care provider how much education they got on nutrition in their professional program? You should ask. You'll be shocked.
Equally compelling is Hill's deep dive into the impact that the food industry, particularly animal ag and companies whipping up ultra-processed foods, has on our precious earth. He goes into depth about how Big Food, like the tobacco companies, purposely set us up for food selection failure just to pad their bank accounts. And, of course, they’re in bed with Big Pharm who grossly benefits from mainstreamers’ poor food choices. The research is definitely there and worth checking out on his website. His reference list, annotated on his website, is expansive and worth a look for any other research geeks out there. I pulled some from our medical library and was impressed as well as inspired.
The final section of the book left me pondering, though, as Hill launches into nutritional supplements. This something I'm going to need to let simmer a bit. He seemed to go out on a limb and offer his educated opinion (albeit very well educated and informed) but the reader is left wondering if its not exactly evidenced based practice. And, those recommendations don't seem to completely coincide with the information advocated by long standing physician leaders in the Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) sector such as Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Neil Barnard, Dr. John McDougal, and so on. Even Dr. Dean Sherzai, who beautifully endorses Hill's new book, recommends very limited supplementation (I believe its just vitamin D, B12, and the algae based alpha omegas) in The Alzheimer's Solution he co-authored with his equally brilliant wife, Ayesha Sherzai.
references
Hill, S. (2021). The Proof is in the Plants: How Science Shows a Plant-Based Diet Could Save Your Life. Penguin Life. ISBN 978-76089-0049
Roll, R. (Host). No. 638 [Audio podcastepisode]. Simon Hill; Proving Plant-Based Diet Positives. https://www.richroll.com/podcast/Simon-Hill-638
Sherzai, D, & Sherazi, A. (2019). The Alzheimer's Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse The Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age. Harper One. ISBN 978-0-266648-2