Metabolical

This is one of the most important books I've read in a while. Robert has mounds of experience both as a doctor to children as well as having his hand in fighting against big food companies, medical companies, and slow-moving government agencies.

There's no denying that money equals power in nearly every aspect of our world, and it is no different for food and pharmacy companies. They've created the rules, and sugar and processed food is in everything from baby foods to school lunches (pizza is a vegetable?) and most of the food we see in grocery stores.

The amount of sugar and sugar-like items that are hidden deep within nutritional facts and hidden in every way imaginable is staggering. The food companies have fought tooth and nail to limit what are able to see. Some countries fight it much better than others. America is dreadfully corrupt in that manner. Robert details all of these issues, and therefore, this book may be devastatingly depressing depending on what country you live in.

Metabolical is broken down cleanly into chapters, and references to other chapters are labeled very clearly. At nearly 300 pages, it can look daunting, but I don't think it is a book that the average person will read from front to back, nor is it meant to be. The deeper looks into biology within the human body and the dirt we grow food are important, but even if skipped, a person won't miss out on the main points about the importance of what we are putting into our body and how we take care of the planet.

Robert is insightful and reasonable all throughout the book. He doesn't expect a person to eat perfectly all the time, and he understands and states the challenges that people face, especially financially. He's not in the business of putting regular people down.

As I grow older, treating my body well becomes more and more important. I am pretty conscious of what I put into my body, but this book was such a great reminder on so many different levels, and it helped me re-form my current diet, and as I walk through the grocery store, I am acutely aware of what I'm looking for and what I should be buying (food labels in America only tell half of the story).

It can be a challenge pursuing the least processed foods possible in this world of processed food, and I could go into all of the details of what I've noticed through my change of diet, but the main point is that I just feel better on every level. So, if you're anywhere from just wanting to improve 1% in life, to not having a clue where to start with a healthy diet, this book is a really great place to start.