Intriguing insights for those prone to overeating.
An obesity researcher and clinic worker shares background science and strategies to sustain weight loss in this debut consumer health guide.
Why do some folks stay thin while others remain obese, given that everyone in modern society faces too many fattening food choices and less need, thanks to cars, technology, etc., to burn calories with physical exertion? Proietto, an Australia-based Ph.D. who has published on the topic of corpulence and has also worked in obesity clinics, breaks down the scientific reasons that cause a segment of the population to overeat. They include low levels of the hunger-inhibiting leptin protein in children’s systems as well as “epigenetic change”: there may be “common obesity-predisposing genes whose expression (not sequence) can be permanently altered by environmental factors such as high-calorie-dense diets.” After discussing various research findings, including that mice (and people) tend to return to a body-weight set point, Proietto outlines his plan for obese individuals to defy this tendency. His two-part strategy involves consuming extremely low-calorie diet products (such as Optifast) for two meals and then eating one substantial, no-carb meal a day (a protein, three non-starchy vegetables, and a salad with a dash of fatty oil) in a prescribed cycle until one’s target weight is reached. This regimen gets pounds off fast, the author asserts, because it induces the state of ketosis, suppressing an uptick of hunger-producing hormones. Proietto also recommends ramping up physical activity post-weight loss to further trick the body into maintaining its new slimmer state. Sample recipes as well as helpful lists of foods to favor or avoid are included. The author speaks with passion and authority about his subject, and wisely cautions readers to consult their physicians before embarking on his program. While his scientific discussion becomes rather dizzying, with not particularly illuminating illustrations of DNA structure included in this text, those heartbroken over being heavy will be relieved to learn the genetic underpinnings to their struggles to lose weight. While some diet suggestions remain questionable, including that fruits should be avoided in the dieting phase and appetite-suppressant drugs have a place in weight maintenance, the book still offers plenty of useful food for thought.
Intriguing insights for those prone to overeating.Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5144-9701-2
Page Count: 166
Publisher: XlibrisAu
Review Posted Online: Dec. 27, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Useful but disappointingly commonplace tips.
In a follow-up to The End of Illness (2012), which explored how technological advances will transform medicine, Agus (Medicine and Engineering/Univ. of Southern California) restates time-tested but too often overlooked principles for healthy living.
The author outlines simple measures that average citizens can take to live healthier lives and extend their life spans by taking advantage of modern technology to develop personalized records. These would include a list of medical tests and recommended treatments. Agus also suggests keeping track of indicators that can be observed at home on a regular basis—e.g., changes in energy, weight, appetite and blood pressure, blood sugar and general appearance. He advises that all of this information be made available online, and it is also helpful to investigate family history and consider DNA testing where indicated. Along with maintaining a healthy weight, Agus emphasizes the importance of eating a balanced diet, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and a minimum of red meat. Avoid packaged vitamins and food supplements, and if possible, grow your own vegetables or buy frozen vegetables, which will generally be fresher than those on supermarket shelves. The author also warns against processed foods that make health claims but contain additives or excessive amounts of sugar or fat. Regular mealtimes and plenty of sleep, frequent hand-washing and oral hygiene are a must; smoking and excessive time in the sun should also be avoided. Agus recommends that adults should consider taking statins and baby aspirin as preventative measures. He concludes with a decade-by-decade checklist of annual medical examinations that should be routine—e.g. blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, from one’s 20s on; colonoscopies, prostate exams and mammograms later—and a variety of top-10 lists (for example, “Top 10 Reasons to Take a Walk”).
Useful but disappointingly commonplace tips.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4767-3095-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Oncologist Agus (Medicine and Engineering/Univ. of Southern California) predicts that the application of advanced technology for modeling complex systems will transform 21st-century medicine.
The author writes that a remark Nobel Laureate Murray Gell-Mann made to him in 2009—“Look at cancer as a system"—transformed the way he views his own specialty and the entire field of preventative medicine. It made him realize that “[r]ather than honoring the body as the exceedingly complex system that it is, we keep looking for the individual gene that has gone awry, or for the one ‘secret’ that can improve our health.” Agus writes that although the ability to sequence the entire human genome is a great step forward, it is insufficient for achieving a significant breakthrough. Even though it may start with a mutation, cancer “is a dynamic process that's happening…far from the confines of a static piece of DNA”—it involves the body's immune system, its ability to regulate cell growth, metabolism and more. Agus directs his university’s Center for Applied Molecular Medicine and is the co-founder of two personalized medicine companies, Applied Proteomics and Navigenics. His hope is that their research will contribute to developing better analytical tools for preventative medicine and for the treatment of cancers. These will address the functioning of the body as a whole, applying digital technology already used by physicists to provide virtual models of cancers and model the action of proteins that regulate cell communication in the body. He also hopes to develop tools that will provide information on the concentration of different proteins in a drop of blood taken from a patient, which may reveal the onset of disease. The author also includes some guiding principles and warnings about certain healthy practices that may not be so healthy. A refreshing change of pace in the medical field, but by venturing beyond his field of expertise to pontificate on a wide range of subjects, Agus makes his otherwise intriguing narrative difficult to follow.
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4516-1017-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Free Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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