Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole: Your Guide To Optimum Health

by Alona Pulde, Monica Richards (Illustrator), Matthew Lederman

Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole; is an easy to read book that compiles the essential nutrition and health information you need to obtain optimal health. With fun, short chapters and bold take home messages, it is perfect for people who want to solidify their current nutrition and health knowledge base as well as for those to whom you want to gently introduce a truly healthy diet and lifestyle. Take advantage of this amazing and affordable opportunity to optimize your health and finally overcome the obstacles that have been standing in the way of your success.

Genres: Nutrition, Health

189 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2009

Reviews

[Catherine Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book is like the title in that it keeps it simple. Don't have to get tied up in the details to move forward in health.

[Eric Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. A good follow-up to the movie, Forks Over Knives. Gives a good overview of the research regarding a whole foods-plant based diet. The book, The China Study, gives a more in-depth look at the research behind eating a a whole foods-plant based diet.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to refer to this book as the "CliffsNotes" of the China Study. A must read.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This informative journey of nutrition and what people should eat as opposed to what we actually eat is a great start. There are guides and steps to help get you started. I personally would like to try some of this, but have to take baby steps. Within each section multiple questions are posted because they know you get overwhelmed with the amount of information, and they answer questions. There are summaries at the end of each chapter and a notes page to help keep you organized and on track.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book touting the importance of moving to a whole food, plant based diet along with excercise and stress management to optimize our health. Follows similar guidelines as Dr's Ornish, Macdougal and Campbell only does it much more specific and shorter terms. Good stuff for improving your health long term

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after watching the documentary "Forks over Knives" and had decided to switch to a plant based diet. This is an easy read...not too technical. It explained, in layman's terms, the reasons why a plant based diet was beneficial, and why animal products were harmful. It was just the book I needed since I had also purchased "The China Study" which was much more technical and harder to get through. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in looking for answers about plant and animal based diets. It even has a few recipes in the back, some of which are easy and yummy (I haven't tried all of them so I cannot comment on all).

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent guide to achieving and maintaining optimal health through nutritional and lifestyle changes by licensed practicing physicians, Dr. Pulde and Dr. Lederman, of L.A.'s Exsalus Health & Wellness Center. They are featured in the award winning documentary Forks Over Knives, and the Healing Cancer film. The book addresses in detail the process by which plant-based nutrition helps prevent and heal some lifestyle diseases, why this is preferred over just dependence on pharmaceuticals, how to use the information presented and what to expect. Includes references, recommended reading, a detailed index, meal and menu planning, and recipes to et one started. Would have liked more recipes.

[Kim Veach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, small book that gives you all the information you need as to why and how to go on a whole plant food diet. It's self-published and a few of the charts are very small and not easy to read. Other than that, it does a good job getting their (Exsalus Health & Wellness Center) message across. It has a week's worth of a suggested menu plan to get started. The recipes come from other books and websites where you can get more similar recipes. Also includes a list of other books if you wish to learn more.

[Tiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this book and it's providing easy-to-read and very helpful information!

[Anne White]

Excellent informative

Full of vital information to maintain a whole foods, plant based diet. I will go b back to it many times

[Maydha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book clearing all the misconceptions of food and nutrition... changed my life (and I found out about Dr. Alona Pulde and Dr. Matt Lederman from the documentary "Forks over Knives")!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great, short primer on how to eat a whole food plant-based diet. The science is reviewed in an accessible way. But this is more than the science or the recipes. This book is unique in one particular way: it has a heavy focus on their methodology of helping people move along the continuum from where they are to whatever goal of optimum health they choose. They use great behavioral tools to help people assess the barriers that keep them from achieving the goals they set for themselves. They are strongly against people going hung-ho in ways that are likely to sabotage their long-term success.

As a nurse practitioner, I’m familiar with how hard it is for people to undertake major changes in health behavior (even small changes!). Even those who are enthusiastic underestimate what will be required to make permanent changes. Most health care providers and nutrition books give you a written goal, maybe a meal plan to start, maybe a few recipes, but they never (or almost never) help you tease out what your values and existing lifestyle are like that can make it hard to succeed. These physicians do that. There are worksheets to use and plenty of examples of strategies to help you address your own personal roadblocks. They do not ask for or expect perfection. They help you figure out what to do when you mess up so that you don’t also give up.

Many people have been inspired by documentaries or books that advocate for big lifestyle changes (and full disclosure, I eat plant based but at times have difficulty staying on track too!). Far too many of us then struggle to stay on-track or misunderstand what is required to get optimum results. This book helps you plan not just what to eat, but what might get in the way of your success that has nothing to do with desire to change.

I have not tried the recipes so can’t speak to those, but this would be a valuable book for clinicians to use in helping patients adopt a healthier lifestyle and for people who are trying to make the change on their own.

Recommend.