Metabolical audiobook

Dr. Lustig never ceases to expand your mind with his science and wit. Boohoo, some think he is too critical of the food and beverage industry, and he does question just about every assumption that one may have about nutrition and what is healthy. Yeah, he can sound pissed off at times, but what would you expect from a pediatrician who has experienced more and more children piling up at his exam room door with diseases that were once only associated with older adults. Only 12% of people in the US are metabolically healthy, and the rates of people dying from metabolic disease dwarf all those dying by wars and communicable disease. But, in our culture, it is perfectly legal to kill people with bad food, just as long as you do it slowly, over decades of time, starting when they are young. Over 50% of people in the US are prediabetic or diabetic. So, if Dr. Lustig's book, Metabolical, doesn't wake you the hell up, nothing will... 'Metabolical' offers a strong message to the processed food industry: stop killing us with your toxic food-like substances.

Dr. Robert Lustig, whose 2009 talk "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" has over 13 million views, has always been clear about his opinion of the processed food industry. Turns out he was holding back in his two previous books, "Fat Chance" and "The Hacking of the American Mind." In case we didn't get the message before, he breaks it down into two simple rules for eating Real Food: (1) protect the liver; (2) feed the gut. He then proceeds to explain what that means in practical terms, describing what the highly processed food-like substances found in our supermarkets do to our bodies. Nutrition labels only tell us about the macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) and a few of the vitamins and minerals in processed food, but the label doesn't tell us what has been done to the food, and that's what Dr. Lustig explains in detail. Finally, he goes into some detail to persuade us that highly processed foods are not just a "personal choice," but rise to the level of a public health crisis that must be addressed, and outlines some of the ways this can be done, using as his model the public health structures in place for alcohol and tobacco.

Lustig's telos: 1. All food is inherently good; it's what's been done to the food that's bad.2. Protect the liver, feed the gut.A truckload of good information from a pediatric endocrinologist, but a challenge to distill practical tips. I listened to this book first, but knew I really needed to read the print with my eyes. His solution to the metabolic mess we (practically all the world) are in is to eat Real Food.Real Food. What exactly does he mean? On page 202 I finally found the answer: low-sugar and high-fiber. Cutting added sugar from your diet will protect your liver, which cannot process sugar-dumps. Focusing on fiber feeds the gut microbiome. Lustig discusses eight pathologies that lead to metabolic dysfunction: GlycationOxidative StressMitochondrial DysfunctionInsulin ResistanceMembrane IntegrityInflammationEpigeneticsAutophagyLustig gives his solutions in Part V which rely on government intervention (soda tax, eliminate farm subsidies, ban access to soda in institutions). I am not inclined toward his politics. But I wonder. I know that any lasting change must start with a change in thinking. Making meals must take priority. I was recently served fettuccine Alfredo that was wretched. The noodles were normal, but the sauce was from a jar. It's not that hard to make a sauce! Amy Dacyczyn (remember her Tightwad Gazette?) proved it took as long to make microwave popcorn as cook-on-the-stove popcorn.It's complicated. We sneer at processed food, but on some level food must be processed if you want tomato paste in April. I personally know farmers who are struggling to hold onto their farms. How would they survive without subsidies? And who wants to be the kid whose mom brings carrot sticks for his birthday, really? The hit-me-between-the eyes sentence. If any form of sugar is one of the first three ingredients, it's a dessert. That means Trader Joe's Beef and Broccoli is dessert.The other jolt was the cover art. It's a still life of junk food (without any brand names). I expected a burger, fries, etc. and saw what looks like a two-liter 7-Up bottle. But (Costco) muffins and (Costco) chicken raised my eyebrows. Busted!

Obesity's not the problem, argues Dr. Robert H. Lustig MD, MSL, in his latest health book Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine. The problem is that our bodies' metabolic systems have been rendered dysfunctional by our addiction, often from our first months of life, to highly processed, not real, food. I haven't read his first book Fat Chance, but did enjoy The Hacking of the American Mind.As a neuroendocrinologist and pediatrician for the last 45 years, Lustig was taught like other medical doctors to only treat the symptoms, not the causes, of illness. He was taught very little about nutrition and to enjoy the perks of being a prescribing, unhelpful doctor.It disturbed him so much that finally he tried to understand why his child patients were getting so chronically sick, fat inside and out, and dying.He realized that the one way to eat and drink for health protects the liver and feeds the gut.You can, you see, be slender and have a fatty liver or heart. This is usually why fit-looking athletes fall dead of a heart attack. They were eating a diet of refined carbs as found in junk or highly-processed food. They were drinking lots of glucose and fructose-laden drinks, which includes juices as well as sodas and energy drinks. Some obese people don't have the metabolic syndrome and only accumulate fat on the outside. They could be perfectly healthy and only eat too much nonprocessed food with both kinds of fiber.Lustig sets the medical facts straight in other, important ways.One fact is that our bodies do not need sugar. We make glucose through glycerol from triglycerides in dietary and body fat (I think it's body) and omega 3 fatty acids. Another longstanding myth he debunks is that a calorie is not a calorie like any other. What's important is how your body absorbs the calories and not how many you ingest.All these facts do not surprise me. It seems like common sense to me to only eat real food with soluble and insoluble fiber, which is food that feeds the gut bacteria and keeps them happy so you don't wind up with a leaky gut and chronic, deadly diseases. Lustig speaks a lot about insulin resistance being behind the metabolic syndrome.He talks a lot about how rich countries like the US are the sickest and why and how simply trying to educate people addicted to highly-processed food has never helped change their eating habits. We need to tax sugar and all its addicting forms.28 countries already do this and save billions in health care.I've given you a lot to think about, but I hope you can understand how crucial eating fiber-rich food is for your health and fitness. Lustig doesn't claim to advocate a certain diet, but he seems most okay with a flexitarian diet that's mostly fresh produce with a couple servings a week of “pasture-fed” meat and wild fish. These options, though, are unreliable and unsustainable as well as pricey.I've eaten a whole foods, plant-based diet happily for nearly nineteen years and cook from scratch too. Restaurants will keep you metabolically unhealthy.My final comment is that Lustig is absolutely right that we will never fix our health care crisis without fixing our health. Health cannot be fixed without acknowledging what's horribly wrong with our food industry and government subsidies and how we feed our children no veggies at all!Food culture change starts with us. It starts with what we choose to eat. It took many decades to bring Big Tobacco to its knees (yet the US still subsidizes tobacco!!) and Big Pharma is getting its just desserts finally. We can force change to Big Food and Agriculture too.Hope you'll check out Lustig!

Opened my eyes to the debacle that is SUgar and Processed Food.Got me to re-read the science portions, but what a revelation.If this book does not convince you to stop your sugar intake, what will?

Great book for non-professionals. Easy explanations, engaging language, some humor and an exquisitely delivered exposeé on the Big Pharma and modern medicine. Helped me refresh my own knowledge of MetS and insulin resistance.

I had already read "The Case Against Sugar" by Gary Taubes and agreed with that analysis, so "Metabolical" was something I was already predisposed to like. This book does an excellent job of laying out all of the body's cellular metabolical processes ... but if you are not well versed in scientific language, about half the book will go over your head. I have to admit that I am not well versed in cellular chemistry and biological processes, so yes, parts of this were difficult to understand. I think the book could also do a much better job of explaining how excess insulin and other chemicals actually interfere with the body's metabolism. I also wish the author had included a list of the foods that he considers "Real Food". (Since I am addicted to popcorn, I was very curious to know if he considers SkinnyPop to be a Real Food but alas, I have to figure that out for myself. I'm going to say that SkinnyPop is a "Real Food"). Overall, though, it made me recommit to decreasing the sugar in my diet and it also changed my mind about taxing soda. (Yes, we should tax soda.) (Maybe this book will finally answer my daughters' prayers that I stop drinking diet soda!). I found this book to be very convincing as to offering an explanation for the chronic diseases that are prevalent in our society.

I really liked this book which convincingly asserts that our deluge of metabolical illnesses and ensuing rising “health care” costs are due to processed foods and knowing malfeasance on the part of Big Food, Big Pharma and mainstream medicine. He’s polemical-but I totally agree with him!

Attention Food ZealotsMind blowing how the effort of one man stands to change what we think we know. Dr. Lusting calls for us to get out of our own way and return to reality concerning our nutritional choices.Thank you Doctor.

SO IMPORTANT. This book uncovers a lot of ignored corruption in the food industry. I'd recommend it to everyone.

This book ties up of all aspects of the issues with food we face - from metabolical and cultural, to environmental, política and financial. Really enjoyed it and although I’m pretty schooled up on a lot of these, helped me bridge gaps I haven previously connected. Protect the liver, feed the gut. ✊

Dr. Lustig is on a mission to warn anyone who will listen that processed food is nobody’s friend, it sickens (diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, environmental degradation, and a veritable parade of other maladies run amok in modern society). This is an extensively researched book, written with passion and urgency. His basic messages: avoid processed food, feed the gut, protect the liver. Our food system puts profit ahead of health writ large, but informed consumers can push back and heal themselves in the bargain. There is so much good research-informed material in this book. It left me feeling empowered with concrete actions I could take and a lot to think about.

Great book. I’m glad I listened to it though…very sciencey at times. Also, it was somewhat depressing (personally) as I’ve spent the first 52 years of my life being addicted to sugar/processed food. But I’ve quit (4 months now!) and reading books like this helps to emphasize that it’s better late than never! And hopefully I’ll have the next 52 years of eating real food!

Exceptional. A must read for everyone! Several years ago, it occurred to me that processed food isn't good for you; even in moderation. I even concluded that all the autism and food allergies that our children suffer from today was related to eating processed foods. It's extremely frightening how sick our country has become, especially our children, because of all these fake (and addicting!) foods, and the doctors will just give you pills to "treat" your illness. And tell you that you need to exercise more. Very sad! As Dr. Lustig said: "You can't outrun or exercise away a bad diet". Our bodies are literally starving for nutrients that can only be found in real food. I'm really paraphrasing here; I apologize; but people need to wake up and realize that we aren't going to be able to afford to take care of all our unhealthy neighbors and not go bankrupt. Shame on Big Food, and Big Pharma for lying to us all these years, and putting profits before our health! When I was younger, I used to believe that, as long as you ate nutritious food, some processed foods in moderation were okay. Well, people, NO processed food is okay! Does that make me happy? Of course not, as I enjoy cookies, pizza, bread, etc! One of my daughters is suffering from gluten sensitivity, along with other stomach problems and we are doing our best to try and fix the problem. I pray she can be healed. She's already doing better and we've only been avoiding gluten and sugar for a week now. It's not easy, but her health, and the rest of my family's, depends on it! I have two teenage boys who really hate all these changes that I'm making, and it's quite a fight to get them to understand that junk food is truly dangerous. I won't give up on them, though. My husband is rather stubborn as well. It's a battle, but I will continue to do my best to feed my family right. Thank you, Dr. Lustig!