Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life

Critical thinkers acknowledge there are far too many nutritional fads and fallacies in the marketplace today. Chief among them are when a product is for sale, or when the purveyor of a product or fad promises to let you in on a “secret” or something which is “hidden” or entices with claims of “they don’t want you to know” about a life-changing fantasy — all for the low, low price of $______.Chief among the dozens of credulous ideas accepted by our semi-scientifically illiterate public is the “alternative medicine” and similar crazes when it comes to diet and nutrition. When looking at the cover of Max Lugavere’s “Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life” (with Paul Grewal, MD), we could hopefully be forgiven for thinking this tome was chock full of “woo”, a.k.a. “bunk”. But since science and proper scientific inquiry qualifies and corrects itself, the use of precise wording regarding several scientific studies here provides a refreshing look at health and nutrition.Throughout the 389 pages of this book, I found several mentions of “science is not settled” about something where Lugavere was unwilling to make foundational claims, and he even places multiple qualifications about the progress of some medical studies into areas touched in the book. He points out the strength of the science he attests to hold to in the introduction with “Science is always unfinished business; it’s a method of finding things out, not an infallible measure of truth.”That is one of the foundational strengths of this book.His mother, falling into a state of Alzheimer’s/dementia, gave him impetus to worked for years with dozens of medical professionals to put together a book about brain health, because – as he points out throughout this book – brain health is health.Nearly everyone who would benefit from this book has several questions, including:— Why do modern diets have “plentiful calories with poor nutrient content and toxic additives”?— What are the differences between ‘executive function’ and ‘processing speed’ for mental health?— Why the following: “…it’s not the amount of fat you consume; it’s the type”?— Why are canola, corn and soybean oils bad news for health and brain health?— What is the most powerful way to boost neuroprotective hormones, and which food and dietary/life styles work symbiotically to keep you healthier?— Why is high fructose corn syrup so dangerous?Throughout, Lugavere does us a favor in the ways he provides verbiage that creates visual myriad complex processes in the body as it absorbs and breaks down ingested food and uses it at the cellular and molecular level. He works hard to make the reader understand why something is as it is, and to this he does so with near perfection, suffering us with just a few odd metaphors and similes.In several instances, he discusses in detail a scientific study from such medically peer-reviewed sources as ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’, ‘Endocrine-Related Cancer’, ‘Neurotherapeutics’, ‘Behavioral Pharmacology’, ‘Journal of Nutrition’, ‘Nature’, ‘Science’, and ‘Journal of the American Medical Association’, among dozens more. It is clear from the numerous references that Max did his homework. While telling you why something is the way it is, or why a certain chemical does what it does, his attempts to also explain “how” lead to one of the few criticisms in reviews; that it is too technical. IMHO, let me tell those critics that nearly every semi-complex component to the understandings in this book are explained elsewhere in the book, and the index can verify this. Also, has anyone heard of a dictionary or Google? I had only one word I had to look up, and if my patience allowed a few more pages, that search would not have been needed.Another criticism of the book is one I’ll agree with. Throughout, he discusses an endless plethora of dietary components, and when it comes to the recipe section, there are only 11 entries. An expansion of cross-references would have been helpful, also.When it comes down to it, I’ll mark this one with a strong 4.5 out of 5, as probably the most informative and engaging book on diet/lifestyle/nutrition I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying. And now it’s time for me to order his follow up book “The Genius Life: Heal your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Become Extraordinary”. If it’s as good, it also will prove to be a guide to using the idea of protecting the health of the brain as a way to provide overall health, with sensible and accessible information we can all benefit from knowing.

Quick and dirty auto-bio story: Life long morbidly obese, sugar-addicted, diabetes type 2 a few years ago. I've managed to lose tons of weight for short stints, but was always "skinny-fat" and would gain it all back shortly. Never understood what I was doing wrong. Tried reading articles and books and whatever I could find for help over the years, talking to doctor and nutritionist many times, etc. I always HATED how contradictory all the information would be and none of the advice ever helped me sustain anything healthy, and in fact I think I always felt even worse off in the end when I would gain all the weight back. Last few years with sugar-addiction I've had a constant brain-fog, intense sleep problems, and miss a lot of work as a result.Okay, so done with the background, here's my point: this book is the BEST I have ever encountered. The book is chalk FULL of science, research and talking points from the experts in the field. BUT, at the same time somehow, incredibly, manages to be EASY to read. I've never read a non-fiction book so fast. I mean it. I could read a chapter a night even with brain fog. I bought the kindle version first, then later bought the hardcover book because the kindle can make it a little harder, in my opinion, to flip quickly to pages I wanted to mark (okay, I'm kind of new to the kindle).Max's book gives you the consensus on what the nutrition science has to offer. When there is doubt among the experts, Max lets you know that and gives you his best opinion, and the expert's best opinion, on how to proceed. Each chapter chips away at a new subject that will, if you are like me, probably revolutionize your understanding of nutrition science. The book is complete, when you are done you will FEEL READY to proceed with a nutrition plan that works. Along the way you will get a very understandable education on how to optimize your sleep and exercise. You'll understand both HOW and WHY these things are important.I told my folks about the book, they've bought it and are digging into it now, too. I'm honestly so grateful that Max (and Dr. Paul) took on this monumental task of making this book, and they succeeded, in every way. I'm a couple of months into the process of implementing the changes found in the book. Lost quite a bit of weight, sleeping better and exercising most days of the week. Brain fog lifting and I can actually get stuff done during the day that I never would before.I've NEVER been in a position like this before, of feeling CONFIDENT that I have enough information to sustain healthy living. It's quite the empowering feeling. In the past, even when I thought I was making some progress, I still felt "in the dark" and full of anxiety that the progress would not last. This is the first time IN MY LIFE that I don't feel that way. Thank you Max, so much.FYI I had read most of Dr. Mark Hyman's book "Food, what the heck do I eat?" just prior to Max's book. I loved that book, too, and felt the two complemented each other so well. Dr. Hyman did a great job of creating a simple blueprint that I felt Max's Genius Foods was able to expand upon and really complete for me. Either book is amazing stand alone, and as much as I loved Dr. Hyman's book, IF I had to choose just one, you NEED to pick up Genius Foods. But if you can afford both, do it.Max references his website a couple of times, but I honestly found it a bit disappointing. This is not worth docking a star or anything, the book is BEYOND 5 stars by itself, but it'd be nice if the official website was a little more interactive or updated regularly.Lastly, I just hope that Mr. Lugavere will make a Genius Foods 2.0 update in a few years to keep up with any changes in nutrition science. Shoot, I'd reserve a copy of that the moment I heard about it.

The seller was great! Prompt, on time, as promised!I am enjoying reading this very informative book. I think it will be very healthful for me in my future.

Never felt so good after reading a book. It's practical , clear and most importantly does not promote expensive food choices or supplements. The simplicity and practicality has left me feeling positive.I have been making some simple changes to my diet and exercise since chapter 2 of the book and now at the end of the book, I have lost 5 kg. I look & feel the best, ever.Thank you Max!

I haven't read the whole book yet but so far I am enjoying the style of writing and the science behind it. In terms of the suggestions for foods to eat I guess it is mostly stuff I knew already but the book is presenting more information about why these foods are helpful. One thing I found reassuring (because I generally don't start eating till later in the day) is the statement that there is no biological need for breakfast. Other healthy eating books have said you have to eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. However, so far I have not found the evidence in the book to support the later start. Perhaps I will (or someone else can let me know.

I enjoyed this book a lot and it informed me of some useful dietary decisions. However I feel like the fasting and low carb emphasis are aimed at fat people, as being someone who is trying to gain weight with very low body fat it is impossible for me to fast without losing even more mass and cutting out carbs is also impossible as it makes reaching at least 2000 extremity hard if not unachievable.Also he’s often contradictory when he says not to cook with extra virgin olive oil due to its greater likelihood of oxidisation but then includes it as a cooking oil in several recipes

Found this book extremely helpful, it is fully of information about each of the foods it discusses, enabling you to have a well informed choice of what to eat and why. I have always been serious about what I eat but now I understand why, I am more likely to ensure I stay on the right path. Highly recommend

pre ordered the book after heard max in dave rubin podcast.i am an intermittent faster so this book bring the benefits of a healthy being as a result of healthy eating -amazing-. so much knowledge in this book and gret advice . well done to max for the hard work looking forward for more books to follow