WELONGEVITY DIET

Not just another trendy diet book, Simoloka’s straightforward guide to digestive health is stripped of the gimmicky marketing and slick verbiage that make similar titles more sensational (though no more sensible).

Shifting the emphasis from quick-fix weight loss to overall wellness, Simoloka instructs readers on not just what to eat, but how to eat for optimal digestion and weight management. Debunking misconceptions about obesity (asserting that it is the composition of fat that matters), she is simplistic, if not practical, about the role of waist size. As a counterpoint to Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution and its protein-obsessed followers, the author maintains the importance of carbohydrates to digestion and suggests healthy, unrefined options. She may fail to engage readers seeking inspiration or anecdotes with her scientific approach. Instead Simoloka teaches the anatomy of food and illustrates the process of digestion, in a style that is more school textbook–complete with bland stock photography–than diet guide. Still, she is authoritative and thorough. Readers will glean why whole foods are best, why produce should be raw and the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats. The author rejects popular diet-book fare–particularly, the emphasis on feeling full–which lends credibility to her claims. She deftly handles the confusing territory of food-combining, presenting clear-cut rules, a meal structure pie chart, specific food examples and valuable portion and serving-size information. Although Simoloka’s assertions come without backing and her credentials are nowhere to be found, they echo nutritionists’ advice. Still, while six mini-meals a day may be manageable for most, other mandates–such as timing one’s water intake or remembering which foods must be paired with legumes–may be less practical. She’s likely to convince readers of the plan’s effectiveness, but their ability to put these steps into action is unclear.

Sound but too clinical advice on diet and digestion.