It’s really important to take a step back from any nutritional book or article that you read to look at it from an impersonal and scientific lens.
Which is exactly why I started my monthly book club. It’s an opportunity for you and I to take a good look at a nutritional book and discuss it to find the truth, the lies, and the not-yet-proven-but-promising facts.
I’m excited to open up our first discussion about The Brain Maker (January’s book club selection!).
BRAIN MAKER – MY THOUGHTS
I loved how this book was full of scientific proof, real-life stories, as well as common sense. Most of all, I appreciated how Dr. Perlmutter left room for science to change and new information to either support or change his perspective. I think that should be a requirement of all practitioners!
While I truly do believe that your gut bacteria is at the core of your health (as science proves!), I didn’t necessarily agree with every point that he made.
Overall, I found it a good read with science-backed information and practical steps forward. Some people may find it too scientific, though.
Here are my answers to the discussion points:
- What’s your initial reaction to this book? Are you excited to read it, nervous, or not interested? Why or why not?
I was excited to read the book, but always go in with a pretty skeptical view. - What was your favourite quote or passage?
“Overall, dietary changes could explain 57% of the total structural variations in gut microbiota whereas changes in genetics accounted for no more than 12%. This indicates that diet has a dominating role in shaping the gut microbiota and changing key populations may transform healthy gut microbiota into disease-enducing entity.” - What’s one new thing you learned?
According to the World Health Organization, depression will displace heart disease in terms of cost for caring for patients by 2020. - Name one thing you already knew that came as no surprise.
The digestive system is intimately connected to what goes on in the brain. - What’s one major takeaway you got from this book that you’re going to apply to your life?
As a practitioner, I need to focus even more on targeted and therapeutic probiotic protocols.
I’d love to hear your answers and discuss the book with you! You can email me your answers here.
THE DIRT CURE
By Maya Shetreat, M.D.
About this book
Dr. Maya discusses the dangers of children’s foods and the effect they’re having on their gut health. It’s a brilliant look at how food impacts your children’s growth, brain, and long-term health.
Why I’m reading it
I’ve been advocating for change in how we feed children for more than a decade. I find it disturbing what’s in children’s foods and how they are marketed to parents and children. I’m interested to read Dr. Maya’s perspective and see what scientific evidence she uses to make her case.
Discussion points
- What’s your initial reaction to this book? Are you excited to read it, nervous, or not interested? Why or why not?
- What was your favourite quote or passage?
- What’s one new thing you learned?
- Name one thing you already knew that came as no surprise.
- What’s one major takeaway you got from this book that you’re going to apply to your life?
Important notes
As a reminder, the books I’ll be recommending each month do not necessarily reflect my beliefs or the way I practice nutrition. This is simply a way for us to open up conversation about what’s out there to discuss it’s validity and truth.
This is not sponsored or promoted and I have no affiliation with the author. Any opinions expressed are my own.
Stay tuned
Next month I’ll be bringing you a whole new book, with a full review of The Dirt Cure and my thoughts. I’d love to hear your thoughts too!