Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom

This book contains so much more than the title suggests. Yes, Provenza is professor emeritus in Behavioral Ecology at Utah State University and yes, his discussion and stories do cover much interesting information about animal behavior. He discusses how they select the plants they eat and learn to avoid those that can make them sick. He marvels at the diversity of plants they eat and says they provide the rounded nourishment animals need. He mentions a six-month study of infants by Dr. Clara Davis, in which she observed which foods infants would select when provided a wide variety, and pediatricians attested the children ended up healthy and well-nourished.” Yet, the nutritional wisdom of many humans is abysmal. He discusses the relationships between plants and animals, the defensive mechanisms of plants, the caution animals show when eating novel foods, their need for energy and protein, their learned preferences, and self-medication. In contrast, he mentions the effects of artificial sweeteners that humans eat, the taking of aspirin and antacids, how the medical profession has separated itself from nature, dietary advice, and the role we allow our impulses to assume.There is too much content to do justice to in this short review, and, for me, the most fascinating part of this book is the final third. In a way it resembles Pausch’s Last Lecture. Now nearing his seventh decade, Provenza is attempting to understand his existence, and he clearly is a voracious reader as, for each new topic, he cites ideas by well-known authors. Provenza describes the earth’s age in multiple ways as related to a human lifetime, the length of human civilizations, which he describes as typically falling into stages; the Ages of Pioneers, Commerce, Affluence, Intellect, and finally, the Age of Decadence which he feels the United States is entering, in part due to concentration of power by elites, the automation of labor, environmental degradation, politicians’ inability to make complex decisions, and more. He compares and discusses how animals and human deal with change, with humans having more difficulty and typically needing guidance. He discusses how we have lost touch with nature and our instinct, how we try to control our environment and frequently fail and end up destroying nature and facilitating the extinction of species. He wanders into the metaphysical. He discusses the wide varieties of religions that have risen and been institutionalized, a “universal truth” in each, and how our belief systems affect the way we think. He discusses mysteries; where all things come from, where they go, what is energy, and how energy takes on forms that change endlessly.This book is thought-provoking read with copious notes for each chapter, a bibliography, and an index. Highly recommended.

I've heard Dr. Provenza speak and was excited to read this book. It took every ounce of my old biology degree to digest the contents of the book. He quotes many other studies in addition to explaining his own body of research and builds a case for how managing landscapes affects our mental and physical health and our environmental woes. The book definitely challenges conventional thinking of what constitutes "healthy" food. Red meat can be (gasp!) part of the solution not a problem! The extensive scientific language means it's not an easy read (therefore the 4 stars) but fascinating in many ways. Anybody interested in a holistic world view would find a feast for thought in these pages.

It is a book that was very well researched and thought out. Except for two of his theories, everything he has researched and carefully detailed makes sense. Which makes the two exceptions seem more like biases than actually researched theory.Those two exceptions are gluten and D3. He sort of tossed-off gluten as just a fad. I would have expected some sort of discussion about using Roundup as a desiccant on grains but no. As for D3, he doesn't seem to value it very much and seems to think d3 and d2 are the same. Natural sources of D3 would be the sun and the body allows a accumulation of far more than five thousand IU. His concern about toxicity is more likely related to calcium than D3.Im not sure why the biases but ignoring confounding variables will not validate his hypothesis about those two things. Hence 4 stars not 5Keeping those two caveats in mind the book is definately worth reading.and a good source of understanding plants and animals.

But discriminating the worthy ideas from the claptrap is up to the reader, because clearly the author is willing to throw absolutely anything and everything into this mess of a book. Did life arise like a hurricane assembling a 747 out of a junkyard? Does the author really take that metaphor seriously? I suppose I should be grateful that he takes so many gratuitous swings at so many topics that the lack of focus and credibility becomes obvious. But after lying awake at 3am, furious that I've spent so many hours considering the (possibly) valid ideas in the first couple-hundred pages of this book, I fervently wish I'd never heard of it.

This is the most creative and informative way of presenting human (and animal) nutrition that I have ever read. And as a bonus, you learn about the life and philosophy of an author which-- since early life experiences (as an inquisitive teenager managing a ranch in Colorado) coupled with extensive academic research (animal behavior/nutrition ) and a wide ranging reading list --has led to the profound insights into feeding behavior set out in this tome. Read it slowly and it just may change your life.

If you care about your health, the environment, understanding how "we" got here and how to truly live in the world - read this book. It will not give you step-by-step "self-help" -it will open your mind.

This book is so comprehensively insightful. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr Provenza speak at a range management meeting earlier this year and was extremely impressed with his passionate view of the disconnected quirks we are living in. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to expand their minds capacity for self understanding and love.

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read… really loving this one! I am learning so much and am excited to share with my friends and family

Great, have not been able to put it down since it arrived.

Brilliant combination of memoir, research and future looking science, wrapped up in elegant eloquent soulful narrative

We have a lot to learn from animals and plants a about nutrition. Research in this field is still scarce, but this book provides a highly informative and readable overview of the subject, with a personal touch. In preparing my own book on food and climate change, Nourishment has been most useful.

An epic account of life and living. Words fail me, as I am immersed in humble gratitude for the sum of Fred's life's work.

A deep reflection on what nourishes, the intricacy and intelligence inherent in the living; clear, thoughtful, precise.Both Interesting and touching.A great book.