When Dr. Michael Greger was just a child, he watched as his grandmother was sent home in a wheelchair to die. She had been diagnosed with end-stage heart disease and having already gone through numerous surgeries and bypasses her doctors had run out of options. She was sixty-five years old. But the story didn’t end there because his grandmother—after watching a special on 60 Minutes highlighting Nathan Pritikin, an early lifestyle medicine pioneer—decided to attend his center in California. There she was placed on a strict vegan diet and graded exercise regimen. She was wheeled in and she walked out, going on to live until the age of 96.
When Dr. Michael Greger was just a child, he watched as his grandmother was sent home in a wheelchair to die. She had been diagnosed with end-stage heart disease and having already gone through numerous surgeries and bypasses her doctors had run out of options. She was sixty-five years old. But the story didn’t end there, because his grandmother—after watching a special on 60 Minutes highlighting Nathan Pritikin, an early lifestyle medicine pioneer—decided to attend his center in California. There she was placed on a strict vegan diet and graded exercise regimen. She was wheeled in and she walked out, going on to live until the age of 96.
In the preface to his book How Not to Die, Greger explains that this event served as the impetus for his journey into medicine. Having authored four books, countless journal publications, given speeches around the world and founding the non-profit site nutritionfacts.org, Greger is a giant in the field of nutritional medicine. His non-profit site presents short bite-sized video clips detailing the latest in evidence based nutrition, scoured from the research literature. Topics include everything from the effect of increased greens consumption on depression to the use of aromatherapy as a treatment for anxiety. As an added bonus, every penny made from the sales of his books are donated directly to charity and his website is add free. On the journey towards wellbeing and optimum health, the informational resources Greger provides are just one more light along the path.
Review by LPC student intern Skyler Johnston