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Relax and Enjoy Your Food: Save your money, your health, and your sanity by separating fact from flapdoodle.
A lot of people worry about eating the “wrong” food. Well-funded campaigns have spent years convincing you that some foods are good, some are bad, and some are downright evil.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Relax and Enjoy Your Food uses science and a little common sense to take away all that anxiety, and save you some money to boot. Once you let go of some ideas, it all gets simpler. There are no superfoods, no junk foods, and there aren’t even any health foods. There is just food, all of which provides some combination of the same seven basic things that all food does. That’s why the most specific advice you can get is to eat a variety of foods, mostly plants, not too much or too little. That’s it.
The diet and wellness industries, along with the supplement industry, have deep pockets and ill intent. Their primary victims are women, but everybody gets caught up in their web. After reading this book you’ll be able to leave all that behind, eat a healthy diet, even reach and maintain a healthy weight. In short, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your food.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Relax and Enjoy Your Food uses science and a little common sense to take away all that anxiety, and save you some money to boot. Once you let go of some ideas, it all gets simpler. There are no superfoods, no junk foods, and there aren’t even any health foods. There is just food, all of which provides some combination of the same seven basic things that all food does. That’s why the most specific advice you can get is to eat a variety of foods, mostly plants, not too much or too little. That’s it.
The diet and wellness industries, along with the supplement industry, have deep pockets and ill intent. Their primary victims are women, but everybody gets caught up in their web. After reading this book you’ll be able to leave all that behind, eat a healthy diet, even reach and maintain a healthy weight. In short, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your food.
152 pages, Paperback
Published August 14, 2021
4 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Craig Good
6 books2 followersCraig Good spent thirty one years at Pixar (and Lucasfilm before that), and is now an Assistant Professor at the California College of the Arts. He’s guest-hosted and written for the Skeptoid podcast, and has been a guest on The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe. He has wide-ranging interests that include food and science. When his daughter was diagnosed with anorexia he got an up close look at how important it is to have a healthy relationship with food. As the author of Relax and Enjoy Your Food he’s put on his science communicator hat to untangle the myths that keep us anxious and less healthy than we could be.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 6, 2021
full disclosure— i’m the author’s kid. i’m even thanked in the acknowledgements. that said, with his help, i went from scared little anorexic to happy little foodie. having a loving, intentional, and joyful relationship to what you eat is priceless. this book can give it to you for a mere $9.86! buy it. and if you have an awesome dad like me, give him a hug. awesome dads are priceless, too.
August 22, 2021
The amount of misinformation out there about food and diets is staggering and it's impossible to overstate how harmful it is, from people who genuinely are doing their best to be healthy and/or lose weight to people who jump into every diet fad. The message of this book, that all food is healthy, helped transform the way I approach food and eating. Seeing it in book form, along with The Gluten Lie (another vital read), is so great. Every dietitian and their clients need to read this book, along with any politician regulating food industries.
Craig Good's writing style is conversational and light. It's an easy read and won't bore you. Pick it up. I promise you that you won't regret it and it might just help you be healthier, happier, and save you money at the same time.
Craig Good's writing style is conversational and light. It's an easy read and won't bore you. Pick it up. I promise you that you won't regret it and it might just help you be healthier, happier, and save you money at the same time.
January 4, 2022
"Enjoy a variety of foods, mostly plants, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, not too much or too little." - Craig Good
What an insightful book about food myths and bad advice. Reconstructing the way we should view food. Teaching to us to relax and enjoy what we eat. 10/10 would recommend, even if you just read the chapter about "organic" food!
What an insightful book about food myths and bad advice. Reconstructing the way we should view food. Teaching to us to relax and enjoy what we eat. 10/10 would recommend, even if you just read the chapter about "organic" food!
December 16, 2021
One of the best food books to read about dealing with food in a relaxed but science-based fashion. I really wished I had read it when my kids were younger. Its advice for parents is top-notch.
December 4, 2021
I generally dislike self-help books but this was recommended on the Sceptics Guide to the Universe, a podcast which I like to listen to.
Silly title and cover aside, this is a great book with science-backed information about food. It debunks many myths about it. The most interesting one for me is how there is no such thing as a "sugar rush". The book is against dieting (the verb) and is in favor of eating a varied diet with no limitation against any certain food. The author recommends actually eating as many species of food as you can in a single day. Obviously, the easiest way to do that is by having a salad.
Silly title and cover aside, this is a great book with science-backed information about food. It debunks many myths about it. The most interesting one for me is how there is no such thing as a "sugar rush". The book is against dieting (the verb) and is in favor of eating a varied diet with no limitation against any certain food. The author recommends actually eating as many species of food as you can in a single day. Obviously, the easiest way to do that is by having a salad.
January 18, 2022
Craig Good is giving good advice to those who care about food, diet, health, and economy. I would love the book to be on a high school reading list for Health class, and in a college freshman general science class. I am a former biochemist and food chemist who has spent years laughing at such food marketing ploys as candy bags labeled GLUTEN FREE. Folks should read this book, to learn why !
However, unless you have superb vision and patience, be sure to read it as an e-book. Like some other self-published tomes I have seen, lack of adequate layout and design skill resulted in the paperback version being unreadable by this bi-focaled elder.
Physically the book is terrible. The typeface is too small, the print is grey instead of black, the inner margins are too small (too close to the binding), and the glued binding is not to be trusted. I returned my first copy to Amazon the day it arrived because four pages fell out as I was just perusing the book.
The combination of narrow inner margin and poor glue binding makes it really tricky to read, because I know if I open the book too widely pages will break out just like the cheap Ellery Queen books from the 50's.
In the meantime, authors and publishers, and self-publishers, PLEASE stop choosing margins and type sizes based on a goal page dimension and number of pages. Make the darn things readable. by the bifocal crowd. If you need fewer pages, hire a competent content editor (not the same as a proof reader, advanced reader, or copy editor) to help trim the content.
However, unless you have superb vision and patience, be sure to read it as an e-book. Like some other self-published tomes I have seen, lack of adequate layout and design skill resulted in the paperback version being unreadable by this bi-focaled elder.
Physically the book is terrible. The typeface is too small, the print is grey instead of black, the inner margins are too small (too close to the binding), and the glued binding is not to be trusted. I returned my first copy to Amazon the day it arrived because four pages fell out as I was just perusing the book.
The combination of narrow inner margin and poor glue binding makes it really tricky to read, because I know if I open the book too widely pages will break out just like the cheap Ellery Queen books from the 50's.
In the meantime, authors and publishers, and self-publishers, PLEASE stop choosing margins and type sizes based on a goal page dimension and number of pages. Make the darn things readable. by the bifocal crowd. If you need fewer pages, hire a competent content editor (not the same as a proof reader, advanced reader, or copy editor) to help trim the content.
October 3, 2021
This book packs an enormous amount of information inside its 127 pages about food—eating food, what food to buy, and what not to buy, and all the reasons for making those decisions. He writes in a very relaxed, conversational style, uses humor to make his points, and tells it like it is. Or at least, should be.
His advice on anorexia nervosa is spot on. I ran it by a friend of mine, a retired pediatric neurologist and he agreed. Mr. Good covers it all in this book. This is one to buy copies of to give away as gifts. There, I just helped you with your Winter Gift List! A one-size-fits-all kind of gift.
If I tell you this is the book on nutrition you need to read, I’m afraid I’ll scare you off. But it is. Mr. Good tells us the good, the bad, and the ugly of supplements, of organic vs. non-organic foods, the myths of food and how they became imbedded in our psyche, and the facts we need to make good, flavorful, and healthy decisions. Oh, and save oodles of money while doing it. That makes it worth the price of admission, yes?
Under $10.00. For the price of two lattes, you’ll have an enjoyable read, get smarter, and have several good laughs. Oh, be sure to read it cover-to-cover, there are notes in the beginning that will make your read more enjoyable. Good advice from a master instructor.
His advice on anorexia nervosa is spot on. I ran it by a friend of mine, a retired pediatric neurologist and he agreed. Mr. Good covers it all in this book. This is one to buy copies of to give away as gifts. There, I just helped you with your Winter Gift List! A one-size-fits-all kind of gift.
If I tell you this is the book on nutrition you need to read, I’m afraid I’ll scare you off. But it is. Mr. Good tells us the good, the bad, and the ugly of supplements, of organic vs. non-organic foods, the myths of food and how they became imbedded in our psyche, and the facts we need to make good, flavorful, and healthy decisions. Oh, and save oodles of money while doing it. That makes it worth the price of admission, yes?
Under $10.00. For the price of two lattes, you’ll have an enjoyable read, get smarter, and have several good laughs. Oh, be sure to read it cover-to-cover, there are notes in the beginning that will make your read more enjoyable. Good advice from a master instructor.
September 18, 2023
Full disclosure, a friend wrote this. A very informed and surprisingly fun read. It's crazy how many food myths we've grown up with and taken for granted. Highly recommended read.
October 18, 2022
Craig Good alustas oma karjääri Lucasfilmis 1982. aastal. Kui Steve Jobs ostis 1986. aastal Pixari, liikus ta sinna. Ta on töötanud paljudes valdkondades, vabakutselise kirjutajana, kaamerakunstniku ja küljendajana.
Miks ta kirjutas raamatu toidust ja miks see üldse paljude toiduraamatute seast pilku köitis?
Craig kirjutab: „Võib-olla olete märganud, et ma pole teadlane, arst ega isegi toitumisspetsialist. Niisiis, miks ma kirjutasin selle raamatu? Noh, sellel pole mingit pistmist autoriteedi ega kooliharidusega. Sellel on midagi pistmist aastatepikkuse teadusliku skeptitsismiga ja minu armastusega toidu vastu. See on seotud asjadega, mida õppisin hirmuäratavatel aastatel pärast seda, kui mu tütre arst ütles: „Tal on anorexia nervosa. Sellel on väga kõrge suremus." See on seotud sellega, mida ma kaalu langetamise ajal õppisin. Kuid need pole ainsad põhjused. Asi pole selles, et söömise kohta poleks teisi häid raamatuid, kuid neid on siiski tohutult vähem kui internetikuulsuste poolt reklaamitud ja müüdud kamarajura. Põhisõnum, mille tahan edastada, on lihtne: nautige mitmesuguseid toite, peamiselt taimi, sealhulgas rohkelt puu- ja köögivilju, mitte liiga palju ega liiga vähe.“
See on sarnane tuntud toiduajakirjaniku Michael Pollani üleskutsega: „Sööge toitu, mitte eriti palju, peamiselt taimi.“ Good ise mainib samuti Pollanit ja teebki siinjuures oma paranduse anorexiahaige tütre isana – mitte liiga vähe. Sest tänane dieedimaailm kipub kaloreid viima sellise madala tasemeni, kus toitumishäire on kerge tekkima.
"Paljud inimesed muretsevad "vale" toidu söömise pärast. Hästi rahastatud kampaaniad on aastaid teid veennud, et mõned toidud on head, mõned halvad ja mõned lausa kurjast. See ei peaks nii olema. „Relax and Enjoy Your Food“ kasutab teadust ja pisut tervet mõistust, et eemaldada kogu see ärevus ja säästa teile raha. Kui mõnest ideest lahti lasete, muutub kõik lihtsamaks.“
Raamat on paraja suurusega -126lk ja jagatud 8 peatükiks. Hästi arusaadav, korrektselt viidatud ja selgitas üsna hästi tänase toidumaailma hirmusid.
Miks ta kirjutas raamatu toidust ja miks see üldse paljude toiduraamatute seast pilku köitis?
Craig kirjutab: „Võib-olla olete märganud, et ma pole teadlane, arst ega isegi toitumisspetsialist. Niisiis, miks ma kirjutasin selle raamatu? Noh, sellel pole mingit pistmist autoriteedi ega kooliharidusega. Sellel on midagi pistmist aastatepikkuse teadusliku skeptitsismiga ja minu armastusega toidu vastu. See on seotud asjadega, mida õppisin hirmuäratavatel aastatel pärast seda, kui mu tütre arst ütles: „Tal on anorexia nervosa. Sellel on väga kõrge suremus." See on seotud sellega, mida ma kaalu langetamise ajal õppisin. Kuid need pole ainsad põhjused. Asi pole selles, et söömise kohta poleks teisi häid raamatuid, kuid neid on siiski tohutult vähem kui internetikuulsuste poolt reklaamitud ja müüdud kamarajura. Põhisõnum, mille tahan edastada, on lihtne: nautige mitmesuguseid toite, peamiselt taimi, sealhulgas rohkelt puu- ja köögivilju, mitte liiga palju ega liiga vähe.“
See on sarnane tuntud toiduajakirjaniku Michael Pollani üleskutsega: „Sööge toitu, mitte eriti palju, peamiselt taimi.“ Good ise mainib samuti Pollanit ja teebki siinjuures oma paranduse anorexiahaige tütre isana – mitte liiga vähe. Sest tänane dieedimaailm kipub kaloreid viima sellise madala tasemeni, kus toitumishäire on kerge tekkima.
"Paljud inimesed muretsevad "vale" toidu söömise pärast. Hästi rahastatud kampaaniad on aastaid teid veennud, et mõned toidud on head, mõned halvad ja mõned lausa kurjast. See ei peaks nii olema. „Relax and Enjoy Your Food“ kasutab teadust ja pisut tervet mõistust, et eemaldada kogu see ärevus ja säästa teile raha. Kui mõnest ideest lahti lasete, muutub kõik lihtsamaks.“
Raamat on paraja suurusega -126lk ja jagatud 8 peatükiks. Hästi arusaadav, korrektselt viidatud ja selgitas üsna hästi tänase toidumaailma hirmusid.
February 7, 2025
I'll be honest, I have mixed reviews about this book.
It's important to note first and foremost this is not written by a doctor or nutritionist of any kind; it is written by a Pixar animator who has done a lot of research into the science of how our food is made. I say this because I think it's important to realize that you do not have to have a special piece of paper that calls you a doctor to be informed about your food.
That being said, with the science technically being correct, I don't like the attitude this author has towards our relationship with food.
I feel like Mr. Good is wayyy too cavalier with the way modern food is prepared. Yes, I totally agree that "everything is a chemical" as he states in one chapter, so the large fear we have of ingredients we can't pronounce is largely inadequate because there are plenty of healthy chemicals in our homegrown vegetables we can't pronounce. That being said, there are PLENTY of chemicals and preservatives being added to our pre-packaged food that are as close as these companies can get to feeding us poison! And yet time and time again the overarching message I keep getting from this author is that "everything is a chemical, relax! Everything's fine."
I feel as though this idea that he's trying to push on us that "everything is fine, stop worrying" is healthy, and somewhat misinformed. Yes, it's so insanely important to have a good relationship with your food, with eating, and with diets as a whole. Yes, it's important to chill out and have a balanced diet with some treats here and there. But I just feel as though Mr. Good does not take the problems with our modern industrial agricultural world seriously enough. Yes the science behind GMO foods say it's completely safe. That doesn't mean that there aren't still toxic chemicals and pesticides being used in our foods. It doesn't mean that there's a lot of cheap and dangerous chemicals being fed to the animals that we eat. And yes I'm using the word "chemicals" because while there are plenty of chemicals that are good for us there are also plenty of chemicals that are bad for us. I just feel as though this book is pushing the line between willfully ignorant and enthusiastically optimistic.
Besides a few grammatical errors, I have two large problems with the book. Number one, he says fairly early on that "it's impossible to call one food healthier than another." I completely disagree, however I understand the idea that splitting hairs over wether kale is "healthier" than broccoli is impossible because, like he says, "both are contributing to your health, just in different ways." What I do NOT agree with is when he goes on to say that "I have a table set with a kale salad and a frosted chocolate cupcake. A diabetic walks into a room and wisely chooses to eat the salad. But if a recovering anorexic comes in, the cupcake is far and away the healthier choice. Context matters." In what way is a cupcake the healthier choice!? Is it because the recovering anorexic needs more calories? Is it because they need to develop a healthier relationship with food? Sure those things are healthy in the long run but no, it is not a better idea to give an anorexic person a cupcake than a salad. Ironically for somebody who keeps repeating that context is important, there is little context for this hypothetical.
The other problem I have with this book comes in at the end, when he denounces the idea that food is medicine. He flat out says it's wrong to say that food is medicine. I feel as though he's taking the idea somehow way too seriously while also missing the point completely at the same time. No, your diet is not literally the pharmaceutical pills that we need sometimes. But when Aristotle said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food." he's not saying eat an orange to cure all your ailments overnight, he's saying food is part of what heals us. The same as laughter. The same as sunlight. The same as love. The same as learning. Somehow the idea that treating food is medicine went over Craig Good's head while also being taken way too at face value, and it's a somewhat narrow and closed minded take on the view, same as when he denounced Western and Eastern medicine (which, contrasting what he claims, there is definitely a difference between the two).
Overall, his research is sound and one of the biggest takeaways that I've gotten from this book is that it's insanely important to do your own research on almost everything, especially anything regarding the science behind your health. I share a lot of similar views with Mr. Good on this topic of healthy eating and having a balanced diet and not taking anything too religiously or too blindly in faith. My biggest issues come from the lack of acknowledgment that there are problems, and sometimes I just feel as though the narration can get a bit condescending.
It's important to note first and foremost this is not written by a doctor or nutritionist of any kind; it is written by a Pixar animator who has done a lot of research into the science of how our food is made. I say this because I think it's important to realize that you do not have to have a special piece of paper that calls you a doctor to be informed about your food.
That being said, with the science technically being correct, I don't like the attitude this author has towards our relationship with food.
I feel like Mr. Good is wayyy too cavalier with the way modern food is prepared. Yes, I totally agree that "everything is a chemical" as he states in one chapter, so the large fear we have of ingredients we can't pronounce is largely inadequate because there are plenty of healthy chemicals in our homegrown vegetables we can't pronounce. That being said, there are PLENTY of chemicals and preservatives being added to our pre-packaged food that are as close as these companies can get to feeding us poison! And yet time and time again the overarching message I keep getting from this author is that "everything is a chemical, relax! Everything's fine."
I feel as though this idea that he's trying to push on us that "everything is fine, stop worrying" is healthy, and somewhat misinformed. Yes, it's so insanely important to have a good relationship with your food, with eating, and with diets as a whole. Yes, it's important to chill out and have a balanced diet with some treats here and there. But I just feel as though Mr. Good does not take the problems with our modern industrial agricultural world seriously enough. Yes the science behind GMO foods say it's completely safe. That doesn't mean that there aren't still toxic chemicals and pesticides being used in our foods. It doesn't mean that there's a lot of cheap and dangerous chemicals being fed to the animals that we eat. And yes I'm using the word "chemicals" because while there are plenty of chemicals that are good for us there are also plenty of chemicals that are bad for us. I just feel as though this book is pushing the line between willfully ignorant and enthusiastically optimistic.
Besides a few grammatical errors, I have two large problems with the book. Number one, he says fairly early on that "it's impossible to call one food healthier than another." I completely disagree, however I understand the idea that splitting hairs over wether kale is "healthier" than broccoli is impossible because, like he says, "both are contributing to your health, just in different ways." What I do NOT agree with is when he goes on to say that "I have a table set with a kale salad and a frosted chocolate cupcake. A diabetic walks into a room and wisely chooses to eat the salad. But if a recovering anorexic comes in, the cupcake is far and away the healthier choice. Context matters." In what way is a cupcake the healthier choice!? Is it because the recovering anorexic needs more calories? Is it because they need to develop a healthier relationship with food? Sure those things are healthy in the long run but no, it is not a better idea to give an anorexic person a cupcake than a salad. Ironically for somebody who keeps repeating that context is important, there is little context for this hypothetical.
The other problem I have with this book comes in at the end, when he denounces the idea that food is medicine. He flat out says it's wrong to say that food is medicine. I feel as though he's taking the idea somehow way too seriously while also missing the point completely at the same time. No, your diet is not literally the pharmaceutical pills that we need sometimes. But when Aristotle said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food." he's not saying eat an orange to cure all your ailments overnight, he's saying food is part of what heals us. The same as laughter. The same as sunlight. The same as love. The same as learning. Somehow the idea that treating food is medicine went over Craig Good's head while also being taken way too at face value, and it's a somewhat narrow and closed minded take on the view, same as when he denounced Western and Eastern medicine (which, contrasting what he claims, there is definitely a difference between the two).
Overall, his research is sound and one of the biggest takeaways that I've gotten from this book is that it's insanely important to do your own research on almost everything, especially anything regarding the science behind your health. I share a lot of similar views with Mr. Good on this topic of healthy eating and having a balanced diet and not taking anything too religiously or too blindly in faith. My biggest issues come from the lack of acknowledgment that there are problems, and sometimes I just feel as though the narration can get a bit condescending.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews