GOD’S GRAND DESIGN FOR HEALTH

A chiropractic physician surveys U.S. health care and suggests precautionary measures contributing to individual well-being.

Debut author Darnell has been a holistic chiropractor for 20-plus years. In this comprehensive, logical guide to modern diet and health, he emphasizes preventive care rather than treating symptoms: “Health doesn’t happen by chance. Begin sowing the right seeds now!” Early chapters contrast U.S. health care unfavorably with that of other developed countries: a life expectancy chart does not correlate in the expected way with total medical spending. Intriguing reasons are suggested for the better overall health in different countries, such as smaller portion sizes in France. Darnell lists America’s most pressing illnesses and tells how chronic inflammation leads to tissue damage. In particular, he reveals dietary factors that lead to epidemics like diabetes. Some of his bugbears are hydrogenated oils (indigestible), high-fructose corn syrup (a source of empty calories, it also blocks insulin receptors), repeated antibiotics use, and the mercury in farmed fish. Even a week of eating mainly processed foods can have a negative health effect, as a study of college students revealed. The author’s discussion of dietary and environmental toxins is sobering, but by revealing the worst offenders, he arms readers with preventive tactics: “Toxic chemicals are part of everyday life…everyone should take steps to minimize their exposure.” Methylation and pH are discussed in later chapters: eating leafy greens and consuming methylated vitamin supplements help to detoxify the body while eating a balanced diet keeps the body’s pH stable. Darnell deftly backs up his advice with references to medical journals, and the useful figures, tables, bullet-pointed lists, and “Health Tip” inset boxes make the information accessible to laypeople. It’s said that folks are “only as healthy as their” spines, and so the book closes with case studies of patients whose diverse complaints—ranging from constipation to infertility—were addressed by chiropractic medicine. Everything is explained very well. The only odd thing is the religious veneer that’s been overlaid on the book: references to the Bible and God seemingly come out of nowhere.

A convincing guide to achieving good health through diet.