It Starts with Food – Book Review

I was one of the lucky few to receive a copy of a new book that will be released June 12, 2012 and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.  The book is called It Starts with Food and was written by an upbeat, intelligent, and passionate couple, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, whom I met at the Ancestral Health Symposium in Los Angeles, CA last year.  We have been in communication since then and I truly appreciate the amount of work and diligence they spend researching material and making it ‘user-friendly.’  It’s one thing to know the science, but to be able to communicate that science effectively requires a rare breed.  Dallas and Melissa are the best of both worlds and it’s emphasized by the success of their Whole9 website and Whole30 program.  I’ve personally done a Whole30 and it was an incredible, self-reflecting experience.

I could NOT put this book down.  As tired as my eyes got from being up late and reading all day for work/school, I could not give myself a break and stop reading.  There wasn’t much doubt that this book would end up as one of my top choices, but I had no idea how much it would pull me in and keep me flipping the pages until the very end.

First off, the analogies are well thought out.  The analogies make the research and evidence behind the material understood by computer nerds, soccer moms, foodies, and credentialed health professionals alike.  While some books claim to have the information laid out mindlessly, the analogies in this book really cement the material in your head.  You can’t help but understand the information because you cannot get over how hilarious and true the analogy was.  For example, they compare the highly palatable foods we eat to the Las Vegas strip or our digestion to a dance club.  Yes, they go there, but all in good fun and for the purpose of education.

This book not only has the biochemistry down, but has the psychological association with food broken down in ways that I believe can be accepted by pretty much any reader.  It’s one thing to know what food does to your body, but having a clear understanding of what it can do to your mind and why you would choose to make such changes is probably even more important.  I have not found any other books that can explain the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of food psychology in a way that is as entertaining and concise as It Starts with Food.  The title is perfectly fitting for this very reason.  Food consumption STARTS with food.  Food is not everything.  Even a dietitian will tell you that

You should get this book. If you don’t want to take my word for it (which you really should) the current price tag of the pre-order from Amazon is only $17.79 and it comes with free ‘Super Saver Shipping’ if you spend over $25, so there’s another excuse to buy something pretty for yourself along with the book.  If you are sitting there thinking that your health and future is not worth $17.79, then I have nothing more to say.
Get this book for you, for your parents, family, friends, and everyone you care about.  I mean it.  Whether they choose to follow the prescriptions listed in the back of the book or not, the material is solid and the book is a great read.  They may not be into the meal plan or recommendations today, right at this minute, but after reading the book I can promise they will at least start thinking about food much differently. That is a great start.

*I was not paid for endorsing this book.  This is just a must-have in my opinion.  It could be life-changing to individuals who decide to read it.