Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Huffnagle's "Probiotics Revolution" is written by a reputable scholar and scientist in an approachable but not overly simplified manner. The book is organized in 3 sections:
Part 1: The Promise of Probiotics (4 chapters) gives the scientific background for by the book by describing immune system functioning, the effects of antibiotics, and the relationship between immune system functioning and inflammation, which is at the basis of so many diseases. A key idea is that, for optimal functioning, we need to populate our gut with "good bacteria" to crowd out and make life inhospitable for "bad bacteria."
Part 2: Preventing and Treating Disease (5 chapters) deals with particular diseases that are benefitted by the use of probiotics, particularly digestive and urogenital diseases and allergic responses, plus discussion of the general use of probiotics for health and more speculative discussion of the potential for probiotic benefits for other inflammation-based disorders such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Part 3: Promoting Microbial Blanace: What You Can Do (7 chapters) discusses food and supplement sources of probiotics and "prebiotics" (foods such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains) that provide nutritional support for the probiotics. (Although there is no separate chapter, another key term from the book is "metabiotics," the metabolic products of probiotics, which provide some benefit even when the bacteria themselves have died--this is why cooked foods such as pasteurized yogurt or sourdough bread can still show some benefit.) Detailed charts discussing the particular species content of different supplements and indicating which species have been scientifically demonstrated to benefit which disorders are included. The book concludes with a general food plan, a discussion of how to get kids to eat more healthfully (illustrated with amusing anecdotes with his own children), and some recipes, focused mostly on recipes for those with a busy lifestyle who do not want to spend a lot of time on food preparation.
I highly recommend the book for its scientific basis and accessible presentation. My one criticism is that I thought that the recipes section was a little paltry, particularly with regards to its selection of main dishes (only two, one of which was nachos, not something I normally think of as a main dish). Overall, an excellent and practical resource.
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