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Eating Ourselves Sick
"Louise Stephen's powerful, no-holds-barred demolition of Big Food dissects the profit motive that has filled our food supply with toxic oils and sugar, and shows us how money is destroying our health." DAVID GILLESPIE
Our diet has changed radically in the space of 100 years. We have swapped home-cooked food made with whole ingredients for processed food made from sugar, seed oils and refined wheat. Modern-day food is cheap, convenient and accessible, but also hugely destructive to our health.
Former business consultant Louise Stephen developed an autoimmune disease in her early thirties, which led to renal failure and a kidney transplant. As a middle-class professional from a wealthy Western country, she was perplexed as to how she had become so ill. She started to investigate, using her business and research skills to find out what she could about diet and how it relates to health.
What she uncovered will change the way you think about processed food - frozen dinners, breakfast cereals, packaged snacks, dips, flavoured drinks, bottled sauces - and the industry that is profiting from the commodification and toxication of our food supply.
Stephen shows us how Big Food is picking up where Big Tobacco left off, employing skilful marketing to nudge us towards increasingly processed food, while hoping we'll fail to notice the commensurate rise in obesity and decline in health. Stephen reveals how governments and peak health bodies are often powerless to intervene and, even worse, are sometimes complicit in convincing us to ditch our wholefood ingredients for factory-made products.
This is not a diet book.
Meticulously researched and compellingly argued, Eating Ourselves Sick shines a light on the powerful forces that stand between us and a healthy diet.
Our diet has changed radically in the space of 100 years. We have swapped home-cooked food made with whole ingredients for processed food made from sugar, seed oils and refined wheat. Modern-day food is cheap, convenient and accessible, but also hugely destructive to our health.
Former business consultant Louise Stephen developed an autoimmune disease in her early thirties, which led to renal failure and a kidney transplant. As a middle-class professional from a wealthy Western country, she was perplexed as to how she had become so ill. She started to investigate, using her business and research skills to find out what she could about diet and how it relates to health.
What she uncovered will change the way you think about processed food - frozen dinners, breakfast cereals, packaged snacks, dips, flavoured drinks, bottled sauces - and the industry that is profiting from the commodification and toxication of our food supply.
Stephen shows us how Big Food is picking up where Big Tobacco left off, employing skilful marketing to nudge us towards increasingly processed food, while hoping we'll fail to notice the commensurate rise in obesity and decline in health. Stephen reveals how governments and peak health bodies are often powerless to intervene and, even worse, are sometimes complicit in convincing us to ditch our wholefood ingredients for factory-made products.
This is not a diet book.
Meticulously researched and compellingly argued, Eating Ourselves Sick shines a light on the powerful forces that stand between us and a healthy diet.
- GenresHealthNonfiction
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2017
12 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 7, 2017
A well-written, clear and detailed account of how we seem to have lost the plot in Western medicine and nutrition.
What Louise Stephen writes confirms my own suspicions and conclusions based on my own experience in managing my chronic health issues, in particular in relation to there being too much wheat, sugar and Omega-6 seed oils in the average Western diet (especially in processed food).
And how big food and sometimes the medical industry lead us astray in trying to get us to believe that saturated fats are by definition evil villains.
Louise looks at numerous medical and other studies that suggest the opposite to what we've been told for years, but these studies have been either hidden or ridiculed or obfuscated, in the same way that the tobacco industry for years denied the link between smoking and cancer.
An excellent read, which I plan to return to regularly.
What Louise Stephen writes confirms my own suspicions and conclusions based on my own experience in managing my chronic health issues, in particular in relation to there being too much wheat, sugar and Omega-6 seed oils in the average Western diet (especially in processed food).
And how big food and sometimes the medical industry lead us astray in trying to get us to believe that saturated fats are by definition evil villains.
Louise looks at numerous medical and other studies that suggest the opposite to what we've been told for years, but these studies have been either hidden or ridiculed or obfuscated, in the same way that the tobacco industry for years denied the link between smoking and cancer.
An excellent read, which I plan to return to regularly.
April 3, 2017
I read this book in one day while on holidays. Marion Nestle's blog had recommended it and it didn't disappoint! Every single person on the planet should read this book. Chapters 5-7 were a bit heavy technically but don't let that put you off. Persist! Such a powerful and life-changing message. We have to sit up and take notice. Thank you for writing it Louise Stephen!
February 22, 2017
It is written from the authors point of view as an informative guide. At times it often reads as an essay.
March 16, 2017
This book has a really important message, but oh, boy, is it badly written. It lacks direction, logical progression, is repetitive and convoluted. Such a disappointment as the message behind it is so relevant and timely. This book read like a not-very-well written student essay. It only got two stars because I think the message is important. Otherwise it would've only got one. There are other books with a similar message that are far better written than this. Check out books by Marion Nestle and Joanna Blythman instead.
June 19, 2017
- very compelling to begin with when learning about author's health story but thee majority of the book focuses on industry and gets a bit heavy on the science
- would've liked more concrete and practical examples of how to eat right in Australia
- some good resources and references to tests we can get done for better health indicators
- informative, yes but perhaps not easy to digest
- would've liked more concrete and practical examples of how to eat right in Australia
- some good resources and references to tests we can get done for better health indicators
- informative, yes but perhaps not easy to digest
September 30, 2020
Eating Ourselves Sick
By Louise Stephen
Stephen examines methodically how our diet has changed specifically over the last 100 years as we swap home-cooked meals made with love, time and whole food ingredients for sugar laden, quick options for the time poor generation.
Through modern analysis we are understanding more about how these changes are destructive to our health.
Through the information about the use of marketing and how government influence is not working, we the people need to take another approach.
Simply put, this is not a diet book. This book whilst very science driven and dry for those not scientifically inclined discusses many real life scenarios and matters that will and have impacted the world.
Our decision to choose convenience over health has lead to a plethora of new autoimmune diseases they are wreaking havoc on the lives of millions around the world and sadly for millions, purely based on our choices of diet.
The author discusses her thoughts and research on her personal health experience and then the research by many noted scientific authors and how in the age of "digital David's" the people are creating our own wealth of knowledge all over the internet.
A thought invoking book which compels the reader to reconsider poor food choices and go back to more natural eating, less chemicals and learning the ways of our elders and eating healthier by making positive health choices.
This book will make you reconsider how you consider the food you ingest.
By Louise Stephen
Stephen examines methodically how our diet has changed specifically over the last 100 years as we swap home-cooked meals made with love, time and whole food ingredients for sugar laden, quick options for the time poor generation.
Through modern analysis we are understanding more about how these changes are destructive to our health.
Through the information about the use of marketing and how government influence is not working, we the people need to take another approach.
Simply put, this is not a diet book. This book whilst very science driven and dry for those not scientifically inclined discusses many real life scenarios and matters that will and have impacted the world.
Our decision to choose convenience over health has lead to a plethora of new autoimmune diseases they are wreaking havoc on the lives of millions around the world and sadly for millions, purely based on our choices of diet.
The author discusses her thoughts and research on her personal health experience and then the research by many noted scientific authors and how in the age of "digital David's" the people are creating our own wealth of knowledge all over the internet.
A thought invoking book which compels the reader to reconsider poor food choices and go back to more natural eating, less chemicals and learning the ways of our elders and eating healthier by making positive health choices.
This book will make you reconsider how you consider the food you ingest.
October 5, 2018
super interesting, and although some science-heavy chapters were a little difficult to get through, for the most part very accessible. most of the recommendations about staying away from refined wheat and sugar and so on, seem pretty straightforward and common sense (we all know over-processed food is bad for us) but the science behind it is amazing, and the history of cover-ups (especially the sugar conspiracy) is riveting to read about. love the practical advice at the end, as well: the chapter 'mother nature obeyed' i want to memorise and come back to when i'm feeling like crap. anyway. good stuff.
June 19, 2017
Lacks an overarching structure/story - I would often get to the middle of a chapter and forget what the chapter is supposed to even be about. The author seems to have inserted tidbits of interesting info in places where they don't really fit- it just flows terribly.
March 31, 2019
Wow. Very well researched and mostly presented in a way that I could understand it (not being a Dr or scientist). my eyes did glaze over a bit here and there, but overall fascinating. Very informative and a real eye opener. Thanks Louise.
July 24, 2019
This book is all over the place with little proper structure. The writing is dry and there is nothing new here for anyone who has any existing interest in this topic. There are many better authors out there selling the same message.
July 7, 2020
In Louise Stephen's words, "...I realised that we as humans were not designed to be weak and disease-riddled- but rather we were being progressively weakened through our diet and rendered susceptible to disease." Concise and well-research text. Good bibliography of resources.
May 19, 2018
Wasn’t exactly what I was expecting but still some interesting points
January 11, 2020
Well researched and easy to read. Recommended to anyone who wants to understand how the modern diet has affected our health.
July 11, 2020
So much important information in one enjoyable, but at times disturbing, read. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about their own health and that of society more broadly.
July 6, 2017
Great book. Confronting. Read my full review https://startsat60.com/entertain/book...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews