CHOOSE FOOD LIKE A GENIUS

Practical dietary advice from a medical doctor—with inspiration from Einstein.

Retired Florida physician Beecham’s debut, the inaugural volume in his four-part LivingLIFE series, employs a unique approach to healthy eating through smarter food selections. Beecham notes that he, in retirement, was 65 pounds overweight from a cycle of “eating protein bars, drinking diet soda,” and suffering from food allergies. Devising an unconventional new methodology to a smart diet, Beecham explored the universal wisdom of Albert Einstein to address the age-old problem of unhealthy eating habits. A crisp, brightly hued palette and enticing photographs enhance Beecham’s message, which begins with rational, common-sense declarations about how we live and the limitations that often govern our ability to change. Breaking free from these limitations, he writes, will allow consumers to make better food choices. The book utilizes Einstein’s way of “looking into nature” to explain misleading claims about cholesterol, the “lectin” toxicity of edible grains, and ways sugary items and bread can sabotage the appetite. Examining the eating habits of the healthiest populations, like those on the Pacific Islands, he writes, reveals new directions to investigate, such as eliminating inflammation-inducing wheat products and nightshade berries, like tomatoes, okra, peppers, and eggplant. Instead, vegetables such as Asian sweet potatoes are more beneficial to incorporate into one’s diet, Beecham advises. He also offers more rudimentary information on how the body stores energy, fat, proteins, and omega fats. The author correlates Einstein’s relativity theory to several “thought experiments” about how advertising and popular food choices influence consumption patterns. Sections detailing the healthy habits of Kitava Island inhabitants in the Pacific and probiotics translate as more relatable than promoting a dairy-free diet with homemade mashed banana and coconut oil ice cream. Though nothing particularly revolutionary or new is presented here, Beecham provides doable guidelines for living more healthfully through improved dietary alternatives.    

An exuberant, health-positive guide for readers eager to reform their eating habits.