Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Book Review: "Food Rules"

Yes, I read another Michael Pollan book. While this one was a quick, easy, and at times amusing read, but I do think I'm done with Pollan for a bit.

For this book, Pollan collected 64 'rules' of which we should eat by. These rules are meant as a guide to a healthy diet - for us and the environment. While he doesn't come out and declare meat eating as bad, he does recommend, as he did in In Defense Of Food that the best way to approach the essential tradition of eating is to: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Here, he expands upon these seven simple words in three sections:
  1. What Should I Eat? (Eat Food)
  2. What Kind of Food Should I Eat? (Mostly Plants)
  3. How Should I Eat? (Not Too Much)
Some rules are just plain obvious and simple, others are a bit more comprehensive and still more are really traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation (and are perhaps the most important since they originated prior to the processed food revolution). But they all answer at least one question or dilemma we face on a daily basis (consciously or not) when it comes to food. It has been proven that the Western Diet has a direct link to several diseases, cancers and conditions. And with these rules, Pollan is hoping to prevent them by rewiring our current thinking and beliefs about food.

The introduction to the book is a basic background of Pollan's food theory, so if you haven't read The Omnivore's Dilemma or In Defense of Food you still are equipped with enough knowledge to know where the rules are coming from (although I do recommend reading both of them).

It's a quick read of helpful tips. Not a diet book, but a book to live and act by.

For more info on Michael Pollan, Food Rules and his other books, visit:

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Workout Stats -
60 min elliptical
3x10 ea bicep curls, hammer curls, seated row, lat pulldowns
2x10 upright row
Post workout -
2mi (approx) walk to/from coffee with friend (roundtrip)

3 comments:

lpskins said...

hey! thanks for visiting my blog. I LOVE that you have a little schedule of your week on the right side. So cute. Look forward to reading more!
(Lisa is my sisters name!)

Dorkys Ramos said...

I think all these rules are relative. I know the majority of Americans are dealing with overeating/obesity issues, but still I feel left out when I don't hear about how to eat more or battling underweight problems. That's why I keep trying to get the word out about that.

Also, I saw you have NY Cares on your list of things to do. I totally recommend it! I've been a volunteer for several years now and love it. I should probably sign up for more projects than I have been, but it's always rewarding when I get to give back.

RunToTheFinish said...

I love book reviews!! It always lets me know where I need to spend my time or what to skip!