When a TV show becomes so popular that there is a demand for it to be produced in print, it is naturally lapped up by many. Dr. Gillian McKeith has tried to encapsulate the fundamentals of her popular show in the You Are What You Eat: The Plan That Will Change Your Life.
You are what you eat: an overview
The basic premise of the book is in the title. You are what you eat. So, if you eat junk foods, shirk your veggies and prefer soft drinks to natural fruits, your body is going to voice its protest. It is going to break out in pimples, bloat, flake and tear in places. Your skin will look lifeless and you hair will lose its volume and shine. You will develop aches, pains and cravings. So, what is the remedy? Choose healthy foods, of course!
The You Are What You Eat book claims that you should eat because your body needs it, not because your taste buds dictate it or you have been taught to eat it.
The author introduces readers to important food facts and explores the reasons behind the failure of popular diets. She includes a list of good and bad foods.
After this, Mckeith teaches the reader to look for symptoms that proclaim nutrient deficiencies. She helps us look at our nails, tongues, toes, limbs and ears differently so that we can decode the messages written there.
Finally, the eating plan is laid out. The principle is clear. Eat more fresh foods, fruits, vegetables and sprouts. Bid adieu to processed foods and foods rich in fat.
The book also includes references to a healthy exercise plan.
You are what you eat: a review
The diet plan urges you to make lifestyle changes for the sake of health. Notice that it is not about losing weight. Weight loss is incidental. Rather, the book is about how to live in harmony with your body’s needs by supplying it with the vital nutrients in needs in the right ratios.
There are plenty of recipes in the book. Most of them are easy. But all of them have one thing in common: they are all healthy and make use of limited number of calories. The idea is to make use of these recipes as a sounding board and introduce similar healthy options in your cooking in the long term.
You are What You Eat Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Nutritionally sound
- Suited for vegetarians
- Emphasizes the importance of exercise
- Encourages the intake of organic foods
- Teaches us to understand the symptoms of the body
Cons:
- Not easy to understand
- Takes time for implementation
- Requires plenty of effort
- Recommends enema and colonics
In conclusion
Let’s be frank. How many of us actually enjoy slaving it out in the kitchen? If you have little time to maintain a food diary, go shopping for fresh produce and cook everyday, this book is of little use to you. If you cannot live without non vegetarian food, you will find yourself riling against the diet plan. But, if you are prepared to make the lifestyle changes required of you, then, you can reap the health benefits of the book, the least of which is weight loss.