Healthy at Last: A Plant-Based Approach to Preventing and Reversing Diabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses

by Eric Adams, Eric Adams

‘Chronic diseases may often be reversed and prevented by changing diet and lifestyle. In this important and compelling book, Eric Adams describes how. Highly recommended.’ - Dean Ornish MD, author of five New York Times bestsellers including UnDo ItCan you dramatically improve your health by embracing a plant-based diet? Eric Adams, mayor of New York City, believes that you can. African Americans are heavier and sicker than any other group in the U.S., with nearly half of all Black adults suffering from some form of cardiovascular disease. After Adams woke up with severe vision loss one day in 2016, he learned that he was one of the nearly 5 million Black people living with diabetes-and, according to his doctor, he would have it for the rest of his life.A police officer for more than two decades, Adams was a connoisseur of the fast-food dollar menu. Like so many Americans with stressful jobs, the last thing he wanted to think about was eating healthfully. Fast food was easy, cheap, and comfortable. His diet followed him from the squad car to the state senate, and then to Brooklyn Borough Hall, where it finally caught up with him.But Adams was not ready to become a statistic. There was a better option besides medication and shots of food. Within three months of adopting a plant-based diet, he lost 35 pounds, lowered his cholesterol by 30 points, restored his vision, and reversed his diabetes. Now he is on a mission to revolutionize the health of not just the borough of Brooklyn, but of African Americans across the country.Armed with the hard science and real-life stories of those who have transformed their bodies by changing their diet, Adams shares the key steps for a healthy, active life. With this book, he shows readers how to avoid processed foods, cut down on salt, get more fiber, and substitute beef, chicken, pork, and dairy with delicious plant-based alternatives. In the process he explores the origins of soul food-a cuisine deeply important to the Black community, but also one rooted in the horrors of slavery-and how it can be reimagined with healthy alternatives.Features more than 50 recipes from celebrities and health experts, including Paul McCartney, Queen Afua, Jenné Claiborne, Bryant Jennings, Charity Morgan, Moby, and more!The journey to good health begins in the kitchen-not the hospital bed!

Genres: Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Health, Food, Vegan, Cooking, Biography Memoir

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2020

Reviews

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, enlightening, enjoyable account of Adams' recovery from lifestyle diseases, including diabetes & hypertension, through transitioning to a whole foods plant based diet, and becoming a vegan activist and author. Good discussion of injustices in the food distribution system in USA, racial disparities in the availability of fresh, nutritious foods, health, ethical & environmental benefits of veganism. Suggestions on making the change for oneself & family, dealing with criticisms & finding community support. The last part of the book is filled with delicious, easy recipes from vegan chefs, cooks & cookbooks. Highly recommend.

[Kim Veach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delight to read. The author's conversational style makes his story interesting and the health facts easy to understand. The chapter on the history of soul food was fascinating. And sad that the legacy of eating this way can cause so much damage. While it appears that his diet is whole food plant-based, he doesn't insist that you have to follow him exactly (although he recommends it.) His recipes are all vegan, but some might have oil or meat substitutes. His goal is to encourage everyone, especially the Black community, to eat healthier.

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this again in full January 2023 and found it just as compelling and a much-needed reboot of my understanding of the whole food plant-based potential for preventing and reversing Type 2 Diabetes, which has been a cause of so much suffering, cancer, heart disease, blindness and ultimately death for the women in my mother's family.

For anyone looking for concise, connected, antiracist, whole foods plant-based primer, this book is the one to pick up. Not only does it have pages of powerful testimonial by Adams, a retired police officer and now 110th mayor of New York City, about how changing his diet helped him regain his sight (warning: he shares a terrifying story about how he woke up blind one day suffering from extremely elevated blood glucose levels, a story I won't soon forget), cure his generational diabetes (or "sugar" which is also what my family called our generational diabetes), and fuel his health and wellness outreach to his NYC constituents, but also includes entry points to further reading and experts to follow to completely revamp the Western diet that so many eat and leads to so many chronic diseases and debilitating conditions. The antiracist piece here is his direct discussion of how soul food grew out of slavery when Black enslaved people were literally given the leftovers and waste from the plantation owners and expected to eat it. Adams makes a compelling connection between soul food and fast food, arguing persuasively that corporations like McDonalds and KFC capitalize on Black culture and infest Black communities with cheap food that continues to undermine the health and wellbeing of African American people living in places where there are few groceries offering fresh produce. All in all, a fantastic and fresh view into one of the most important evolutions in health and nutrition in a very accessible and well-written memoir that also works as a food manifesto.

[Cailin Hong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear, informative synthesis of the research behind the health benefits of plant-centric eating and a compelling reflection on why this should matter more to the black community. Closer to what I wanted How the Other Half Eats to Be. Especially liked chapter 2 on the origins of soul food and recognition of the important sociocultural / symbolic meaning it holds. It was cute how excited he got about discovering cherimoya and bok choy as an adult. The recipes do not seem good though and some of the puritanism of his recommended diets undermines the balanced recognition of the appeal of soul food up front. Why do all this grandstanding that's ultimately about the difficulty of behavior modification and then encourage the most unnecessarily extreme behavior modifications like cooking vegetables without oil and salt.

[Rogier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great contribution to the conversation about the Whole Foods, Plant-Based lifestyle.

Just the personal journey of transformation should inspire anyone that it can be done. Eric had some seriously bad food habits at one time, and he paid the price... but he got back up and then some. It is an inspiration to see how he is using his position for good. Also and in particular, he speaks to the specific issues, the ingrained and dysfunctional food traditions in the black community in a way that will get people's attention. This is highly needed since the health disparities start with taking care of yourself. There's a lot we can do and unquestionably, Eric is a leader.

[Peculiar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome and valuable reading. I've read a lot of plant based and vegan books this by far has been the best. Without spoiling it he gives good background info , the history of how people of color started eating unhealthy foods and current step by step guide on how to reverse unhealthy eating and some of the illnesses that come with it. Last he has easy and delicious recipes and lots of tips. I highly recommend this book to everyone but especially to the communities that are getting hit hard with high blood pressure , diabetes , high cholesterol...etc.

[Lynn Plourde · Rating 4 out of 5]

So inspirational and informative on how to turn one's health around by eating whole-food-plant-based. Eric Adams knows his stuff and made remarkable changes in his own life and inspired others to do the same. I dinged one star because of the recipes. Adams talks about the importance of going SOS (salt-oil-sugar) free, but then some of the recipes include those things. The recipes are not his, but ones collected from vegan celebrities so that likely explains the discrepancy. Still, I didn't find any recipes I would make compared to all the WFPB recipes I've collected lately; for example, some say so-easy-to-make and then list 25 ingredients (that's not easy in my book). I DID want to know the recipe for Adams daily luncheon soup or other meals he mentioned eating--I would have loved to see those recipes in sidebars on the pages where he mentioned them. Still, bottom-line a book I'm glad I read and plan on recommending to others.

[pennyg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and inspiring for anyone considering a plant based eating plan to recover their health. His enthusiasm comes through on the page in this fact- filled but easy to read primer on plant based eating. He relates his history of illness and then his success at reversing his debilitating type 2 diabetic symptoms.The book also includes recipes in the back that look good but several contain oil which should be a no-no if you have diabetes or heart disease.

[Christy Hild Noll · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much good information but relatable & not so heavy on the details it gets you bogged down. Simple steps with easy ways to make changes so it wouldn’t be overwhelming. I really enjoyed this book & I have no ideas and recipes for my plant-based lifestyle!

[Kristy Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information. I like his style of writing and his favorite recipes chosen from multiple cookbooks etc.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading book. I find the authors definition of soul food very interesting what he’s is defining about soul food is for poor people and for people who were enslaved.

[Readeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I felt like it was an approachable, relatable book for educating black Americans coming in at the ground floor about the outcomes and risks of eating a Standard American Diet (SAD).

That being said, I hesitate to recommend this to others due to the extremeness of it! I wouldn’t want to scare anyone off by recommending they jump from a SAD to a vegan diet, that is a monumental shift and though I love the soul of the book and way it is written, I don’t think cutting out all animal products is the only way to improve your health.

In the book: Eric mentions himself and various peers indulging in a litany of fast food, junk food, soul food, and so on. Ultra-processed foods are featured heavily, and he specifically calls out fish sticks, Thousand Island dressing, sugar-packed yogurts, and cereal as a few items a coworker cut out to lose weight when going plant-based. However, I think he and many other people featured in the book would have still seen a remarkable improvement with their health if they started by cutting out the egregious offenders!

Here is my case: Make the overwhelming majority of the food you consume be vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Eat lean meat and seafood infrequently, maybe 1-3 times a week, or none at all if you prefer. Cease eating foods with added sugar, ultra-processed foods, refined grains, junk food, fried food. Limit your oil and salt usage, be responsible with nuts if your goal is weight loss, and have cheese, milk, and eggs sparingly if you choose. Moderate your portion sizes for all except fruit/veg.

You can still center plants in your diet and be much healthier for it, without being intimidated by being solely plant-based. He does mention this in the book, but I do wish there was a similar book that covers a lot of the ground this one does without ending up at “Go full plant-based for your health”

Part of my issue with that is that some of the attempts at recreating non-plant based food as plant based seem to be going in the wrong direction.
One recipe for dessert calls for 2 3/4 cups of nuts, and another calls for an entire cup of maple syrup which each have high amounts of fat and sugar, respectively, despite being plant-based. Likewise, I’m not sure if blending up an entire cup of cashews for a plant-based sour cream is the move, perhaps it would be better to just leave that off. Not to mention the expense, nuts are pricey.

Most parts I really appreciated, though, especially the history and attention paid to soul food, the warnings against becoming a junk food vegan without improving your health, the importance of being active and going beyond your diet to improve your health, and so on. Very well done! I appreciated the book a lot, I wish I could fully recommend as my go-to “Healthy Eating Bible” but it does lack the mainstream crossover appeal that can get someone thinking “I can do this!” rather than balking immediately at the idea of becoming “vegan”. Almost, a comprehensive lifestyle/health book “for us” that I can feel comfortable recommending to family and friends, but it falls just a hair short

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the very same day that I returned from my doctor's appointment and discovered I had the trifecta of heart disease: blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar, I happened to catch Eric Adams, the next mayor of NYC, promoting his new book on TV, and telling the same story that I was about to go through. It seemed like fate for me to read this book. It's actually a pretty short read since 50% of it is recipes for plant-based meals, but the other half goes into good detail about how he improved his health over the last 5 years and suggestions (with only the slightest hints of judgement) for how I can too. While I am not ready to completely give up meat, dairy and eggs, I have severely cut back and am actually following some of his advice and already seeing results.

[U. Ray Eke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m hoping to shift towards more plant-based eating and I think this will be a great guide in that process heading into the new year. The author is very relatable in the way he presents a plant-based diet and I was impressed with how it seemed more of a lifestyle change than a diet. There are lots of little tidbits in the book that I learned from and there is a big recipe list at the end to check as well! The author is going to be the next NYC mayor and I think that he will do a great job based on his life experiences and approach to challenges and life as shown in this book.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book while researching Adams as a mayoral candidate. It was surprisingly enjoyable as a quick skim and gave me some helpful insights into him. I haven't tried the recipes he included but I'll write some of them down and give them a try in due course.

[Karen Meinert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book to read if you’re starting a Plant Based diet, it gives you the many reasons why one should stop eating animal products, backed by research, the many health and environmental benefits in consuming plants fruits grains etc it also shows you the tools you’d need, the cookbooks to check out, the sites to research, overall: I love my body, I love nature & I love animals, so I choose Plant Based.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motivating book to read at the end of the year. Always good to check in with how you're treating your body, how badly you've managed it.

The good: Readability and clarity give the author a personality. And the recipes at the end are really good if you can get a hold of the ingredients. You do feel like making dietary changes as you read along.

Not so good: Excessive exuberance in extolling the virtues of a plant-based diet, like it's the fountain of youth, a miracle cure that'll stop every ailment known to medical science dead in its tracks, no matter what.

[Valerie Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A manifesto on vegan eating while recognizing the importance of soul food in African American culture. I absolutely loved: Eat What Elephants Eat Bowl, Overnight Chia Oats with Berries, and Sweet Potato & Collard Green "Saag Paneer." Red Power Smoothie and Lemon-Infused Quinoa Breakfast Bowl were OK.

[Leesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, inspiring!

[Jan Peregrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mayor-elect of New York City, Eric Adams, has published a pretty great book about how he and his wife became lovers of the whole foods, plant-based diet to address and resolve their diabetic health challenges. After he woke up one morning some years ago to vision loss and his doctor informed him that his chemical indicator for diabetes was more than twice as high as it should be, which caused the vision loss, he did some research into what could help him and his wife control their diabetes and pre-diabetes. He had no help from his doctor who told him he'd live with diabetes for the rest of his life like the rest of his family and friends.

Healthy At Last:: A Plant-Based Approach to Preventing and Reversing Diabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses is his account of how he completely reversed his condition in a few months on a whole foods, plant-based diet based on cardiologist Caldwell B. Esselstyn's research and advice. Adams also loves Dr. Michael Greger's work, such as his excellent book How Not to Die.

He and his wife immediately threw out almost all of their stored, saturated fatty food, though it was difficult, because they don't do things halfway. He explained that animal food not only has lots o saturated fat, but also naturally-occuring trans fats.

They bought lots of different greens, veggies, fruits, legumes, whole grain pasta, spaghetti, macaroni (most is vegan, but check ingredients), nuts, seeds, and oils like olive and coconut oil. Note that there's more than whole wheat pasta available, including, I noticed, chia elbows.

Since I've been happily following the same lifestyle change for 19 years, based on Esselstyn, T. Colin Campbell's The China Study, Gregor, and a bunch of other writers (Christina Pirello is one), I read this book knowing his science is sound and his experience quite common, even if those particular doctors treating him were not helpful. Adams also was rewarded with seeing his diabetic mother take up a new, lease on life without medication or insulin after reluctantly adopting a more healthy diet.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for a black American to take up a whole foods, plant-based diet/lifestyle is that it is how Africans ate in the distant past and still largely do. The original “soul food” was not developed on Southern plantations from the garbage white slaveowners tossed to their slaves. The bones, entrails, and other animal parts were seasoned and cooked for the slaves' survival.

Adams explains that Americans get twice as much protein in their diet than is necessary or healthy. He rails against the dairy industry for making us believe that dairy is crucial for its calcium.

All the health reasons for eating a whole foods, plant-based diet are given in relation to heart health, diabetes, dementia/Alzheimer's, and cancer. He brings up the science with examples. My only concern is that he believes a Vitamin B12 supplement is required because it's gotten from bacteria and no plants have bacteria. He should eat more fermented food and sea vegetables. His fifty-plus recipes from plant-based chefs and celebrities use tempeh once that I noticed. I also love nutritional yeast fortified with Vitamin B12 and sometimes use Floradix liquid iron supplement also so fortified.

Please note that this is not a diet program. Adams wants you to make little changes to your diet at your own pace. He also encourages us to move more every day, not just go to a gym, and to learn to relax through deep-breathing exercises that he does.

The recipes are inspired often by “soul food” and sound tasty. I've been making my own vegan recipes since I became vegan for health as well as ethical and financial reasons, which means I'm going to revise any recipe to my taste. He doesn't have sandwiches or smoothies, it seems, but his one recipe addition was for a “three ingredient ice cream” that uses frozen bananas, cocoa, and cacoa chips. I make mine with frozen bananas, AKI vanilla powder, and cinnamon. His recipes are usually oil-heavy and he doesn't count calories, or offer calorie counts, so go easy on the rich ingredients like nuts, seeds, oils, avocadoes, and dark chocolate.

I wish Adams the best of luck as he embarks on his healthier lifestyle and being NYC's mayor.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly fantastic and immensely helpful. I found it incredibly valuable to hear firsthand accounts of how adopting a whole food plant-based diet not only reversed Mr. Adams' diabetes but also vastly improved his overall health and that of his loved ones. The writing style is clear, making it easy to digest the wealth of information contained within.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the practical tips scattered throughout the book. For instance, Mr. Adams' advice on discerning the healthiness of bread was eye-opening; I always used to look for whole or multigrain options, now I know better. Additionally, his recommendations for kitchen gadgets were spot-on. While I already had most of them, I never considered adding a steamer basket or a fresh herb keeper until reading his suggestions. Now that I have them, I can't imagine my kitchen without them.
Although some recipes called for ingredients like oil and processed vegan meats, I trust my ability to use healthier substitutions. Overall, this book offers invaluable insights from someone who has experienced health challenges firsthand. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone hesitant about changing their eating habits. With Mr. Adams' guidance, making the switch is not only doable but also incredibly rewarding.

[Allen Herring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book in a single sitting. Not the book I expected to finish my annual reading challenge, let alone pick up and read. However, having recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, I went to the bookstore to find some...hope, solace, comfort, advice on how to reverse this situation especially since some of the effects had come on suddenly and were pronounced for me, namely my vision.

A change is in my life is needed. The medication is temporary, but then I have to change how I live at a fundamental level. It isn't a diet and it isn't a "lifestyle change," I hate that term: it is though a fundamental shift in how I live based upon on what and how I choose to eat.

A great book to end the challenge on.

[Judy Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healthy At Last, by NYC Mayor Eric Adams, is excellent and provides a wealth of information regarding healthy eating. It's a book that finally clicked with me because I was eating the same way Mr. Adams was when I was a teacher, and I got a wake-up call when I went for my annual physical. I highly recommend this book, especially if you know someone suffering from major illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, or obesity, or someone who needs to eat healthier, like me. The mayor is a vegetarian, and his remarkable transformation has inspired me to eat healthier. There are also more than 50 great, vegetarian recipes in the book that I can't wait to try!

[Tommy Hayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The importance of diet is a key to a healthy life. While I do not eat meat, this inspired me to eat a little less seafood and a little less dairy/eggs/seafood. I am not sure that a raw diet will cure type 2 diabetes, lower cholesterol signifihantly, delay dimentia, or greatly lessen the problems if agings, but it is certainly better than an unhealthy diet. Whether cutting back on non plant based foods are going all in, the healthier the diet, the better the odds are that aging will be less difficult. I enjoyed and recommend the book. I plan on cooking once a week from his recipes.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Healthy At Last

There’s a lot of plain, simple information and instruction I can’t wait to employ.

I’ve been vegan for 6 years now, but was satisfied with being a junk food vegan. It’s time for a change.

This book was recommended and I’m glad it was.

I deducted a star because throughout the book, Eric recommends removing sugar, salt and oils from your diet … when I finally got to the recipe section, I was disheartened to see that some of the recipes list salt and oil as their ingredients.

Regardless, some good info here. I recommend it.

[Yassy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great introduction to whole food, plant based eating. Backed up by the latest research and filled with personal anecdotes, this book was easy to read and informative.

There were some sections that were aimed at African Americans, and which explained the origins of ‘soul food’ and it’s cultural significance to African Americans. While this section was not personally applicable to me, I did find it increased my understanding of the barriers that African Americans face.

[Div Manickam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book if you're looking to reverse your diabetes or even if you're prediabetic on the border line.. It's never too late.

Eric's story is inspirational and will help you change your eating habits and exercise to live a healthier life.

Thank you Eric for sharing your journey and for helping change the status quo that once you have diabetes that you're stuck with medication for life.. there is hope!
🙏🤗

[Snickerdoodle · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are recipes here for people who like to cook, like to try new recipes, new flavors ... and don't mind shopping for unusual ingredients. None of it sounded appealing to me.

For the most part, this book felt like a sales pitch ... to go vegetarian ... that this is the cure for everything. Maybe it really was for Mr Adams ... and for others too. I can't say this approach wouldn't work for some people ...but it's not going to be for everyone. It's not something I want to do.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became interested in his story after seeing him on a segment of a show. It is impressive to me his progress. What I appreciated most about his story is his attitude and approach, especially as he talked about having support, having fun with it and incorporating spirituality. These two quotes stood out to me: “ I can’t think of anything more important than having fun while you’re making a lifestyle change.” “ The human body is incredibly resilient if we allow it to be.”

[Flavia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good food for Americans that are on the classic American diet: junk food, a lot of meat, sugar etc. I m an European and I find the advice given in the book to be pretty obvious. It's not a very science based, it just keeps repeating how every plant/spice is veri nutritious and "packed with *insert vitamins, fibers etc here*", how a plant based diet is so good for you. It's not a bad book, it's just not the best if you want to switch to a plant based diet.