Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole: Your Guide To Optimum Health Paperback – October 22, 2009

Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole: Your Guide to Optimum Health is a great book to help you along your journey to becoming a more healthy person. It's written in easy to understand language and lays out a plan for changing your eating habits that makes it simple to begin. The authors help you understand why eliminating meat, dairy and oils from your diet makes sense. I have been putting their ideas into practice and have found that I feel so much better! As an aging baby boomer, I know that old age is not for sissies so having this book to help guide me in making better lifestyle choices is great! I would recommend that you start with this book as you begin working on a healthier way to live.

This book condensed all the information I already learned from books by T. Colin Campbell, John McDougall, Neal Barnard, Pam Popper et al, and explained EXACTLY what I needed to know to maintain or begin a whole foods plant based diet. I also like how it emphasizes that everyone needs to find their optimum level of health by fewCreating a plan that is both sustainable and enjoyable. If I hadn't already decided to go vegan, this book would definitely have convinced me to try it.

Very helpful "How to .." concerning changing your lifestyle for the better. The approach is comprehensive and includes, dietary, physical and mental well-being. A short book that contains a wealth of information that pretty much details how we've been led to the juncture we currently are with 66% of the USA being overweight and 50% of those obese. It's no secret how we got here but, given the availability of bad food over good, along with our need for instant gratification, how do we get back our health?The author(s) credentials are sound (both M.D.s) so they don't make wild claims but, instead, offer up statistical analysis of independent studies. I like that. The chapters are short and at the end of each chapter are "Take home" messages that summarize the previously read text.This is NOT a cook book but more a well structured argument in favor of a whole foods, plant based diet to regain your health, vitality and send the slowly approaching chronic diseases into remission. One aspect I really appreciated was the emphasis that you don't have to go full-tilt right out the gate but the more you can move towards 100% compliance, the better (and more optimal) your health will become.It's very sad that, as per the book, we're seeing parents outliving their kids more and more. It's obviously the diets we're shoveling down our kids that's the main culprit. Sugar is in everything along with condensed calories delivered through fast-food and store bought processed foods. Fresh fruits and veggies are now an afterthought that, if eaten, are eaten last after we're already full of the junk.Sadly, many of us will have to be sick first to find our way to the information contained BUT, take home message, it's never too late to turn yourself around.After this one try the DVD: May I be Frank.Summary: Well presented facts about our unhealthy state of affairs. The illustrations are a little small and all grey-scale which is an oversight. There are some recipes in the appendices but I would suggest further research to widen the scope. Other than that, worth every penny for the new information you'll be armed with.

The part of the title, Keep It Simple, refers to food intake; but I'm grateful that the authors did the same with this book ... clear, precise, knowledgeable writing with straightforward facts and reasonings to bust some myths; help the brain wrap around wise reasonings; and promote perhaps the healthiest lifestyle available for us humans. Also, this is the best writing I've read explaining the wisdom of bypassing processed oils and going for the whole food instead (fresh coconut instead of coconut oil; olives instead of olive oil). Even though I'm still moving in that direction, kicking and screaming, I have to admit it makes good sense. Thanks for this helpful handbook and, literally, food for thought!

This is a book which shows what and why a whole plant based diet is good for people and good for the planet. It explains in simple terms what can be gained. Genes are the gun, but the bullets are the food we eat. I would recommend this book.

Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole: Your Guide To Optimum HealthI am sorry to have to give this only 3 stars but I was disappointed with the format and writing style. The description of the book stated, "...With fun, short chapters..." I was expecting the book to be a bit more light-hearted, instead I found it a very serious read. But then, one's definition of fun'is subjective and everyone has a different idea of what "fun" is. I guess mine differs from the authors' idea of "fun"The print is a bit too small in some places, like the chart on page 54 is so small I can barely make out what is on it. It caused me to wonder if I was actually supposed to read the information or if it was just put there to support their point.I liked the end of the chapter take-home messages. It almost made it seem like a study guide. I also liked the 3 Phase eating plan and I hope to incorporate that into my meal planning.

This book has changed my daughter's eating habits and the way she thinks about food and cooking. By following the guidelines and recipes she has corrected much of her digestive issues without surgery.