Joel Fuhrman is able to take massive amounts of scientific information and turn it into practical strategies that can be implemented immediately. His years of first-hand experience has proven that treating bad nutritional and lifestyle choices with drugs will never be the solution. Our current state – only 5% of the American diet from unrefined plant foods (not including potatoes) – has resulted in unnecessary sickness.
Super Immunity focuses on how we can prime our system to prevent and battle both acute and chronic conditions. This requires using food for more than basic nutrition; we must take advantage of the complex health benefits offered by whole, plant-based foods.
While many nutrition experts promote a 100% plant-based diet, Fuhrman acknowledges that you may get all of the benefits of a plant-based diet with 90% of your calories from plant-based foods. This means that 10% of your diet could come from animal products and/or processed foods. If you’re consuming 2000 calories a day, this would leave room for 4 ounces of chicken OR 2 eggs OR 20 French fries OR 19 ounces of skim milk OR 1 cup of white pasta. Even with this 10% wiggle-room, this is dramatically different than the standard American diet.
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A sample of the practical, actionable tips that Furhman recommends:
- 3 servings of fresh fruit daily as well as 8 servings of veggies, 2 of these being cruciferous veggies (kale, broccoli, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, radish)
- Get your immune boosting GBOMBS daily: Greens, Beans, Mushrooms, Berries, Seeds
- Green veggies are king and eating them is associated with a decreased risk of all types of cancer. Eat them every single day.
- When it comes to fruit, focus on: berries, pomegranate seeds, cherries, plums and oranges.
- Avoid the 5 deadliest foods: processed meat, fried foods, full-fat dairy, white flour products and sugar and artificial sweeteners
When it comes to our health and the medical industry as a whole, Fuhrman encourages us to not mistake authority for truth. Going beyond nutrition, Super Immunity covers topics such as modern medicine, antibiotics, vaccines, the flu and supplements. The book wraps up with a wide-array of plant based recipes.
