Good Thing: The China Study

Those of you who know me well may have already heard me talk about The China Study, a book by T. Colin Campbell. I am not typically one to curl up with a book on diet and nutrition, but ever since I have read this book, I have not been able to stop insisting that others read it. I think it is one of those books that every single person who eats should read (and I'm pretty damn sure that all of my readers fall under the category of people who eat).

I take most nutritional information I read with a grain of salt. If we followed all the studies on what we should be eating, we would probably live in fear of all food and just drink water (and I'm sure there's some study out there indicating that water is bad for us). And I'm not interested in the million books out there on dieting.

But this book is not an isolated study or a weight loss plan. It really is--as the subtitle indicates--"the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted." My sister read it first, then passed it on to my dad, and then I picked up a copy myself. We all devoured it, and we couldn't stop talking about it. It was honestly one of those life-altering books that changed the way I think forever, and it was the final tipping point in my decision to start a vegetarian diet.

The basic premise of the book--in a very simplified nutshell--is that animal-based foods are harmful to our bodies and that eating a plants-based, whole foods diet can not only maintain our health but reverse the effects of disease. I know, I know: a) I am a vegetarian pushing a book that indicates that you shouldn't eat animal products and b) it is not exactly new information that vegetables and whole foods are good for us. But this book presents this information in a such a compelling and comprehensive manner, and it goes into the bigger picture of how food industries and the medical community influence nutritional guidelines.

I worry that my description will make it seem as though this book is some sort of vegan propaganda or some anti-meat conspiracy theory. But it really isn't that at all. It's very balanced and thoughtful, and it has some amazingly convincing evidence. I am not a researcher, but this book managed to convince even my dad--a 64-year-old electrical engineer who lives in Georgia and lived for Big Macs--to go on a vegan diet. If my dad was convinced, you really should give it a try.

So, I ask that you please, please read it. If you read it and you think it's crap, that's fine by me. But there is so much information that is kept from us, and in my mind we have been misled as to what is healthy for us (though there seem to be more and more studies coming out espousing the benefits of a vegan diet). Not surprisingly, this book has been essentially ignored by mainstream media, and it contains information that everyone should have when making decisions about what they put in their bodies. I honestly just want to give everyone I care about a copy of this book and beg them to read it.

If you can't find a copy at your library, and you can't fork up the cash to buy your own, I'll send you my copy. Seriously.