I recently read The Culprit & The Cure by Steven C. Aldana. The subtitle to the book is "Why lifestyle is the culprit behind America's poor health and how transforming that lifestyle can be the cure". This book is an excellent guide to making simple lifestyle changes. The author is a PHD and obviously has a scientific background but he has written the book in a way which is very easy to read and understand. He takes the same approach that I do with this blog by attempting to keep things simple so they appeal to the masses. (No I'm not insinuating that you are dumb if you read my blog.)This book very clearly points out that the diseases that are the biggest causes of death and illness in America today can often be prevented or delayed by living a healthy lifestyle. The author emphasizes a diet based on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and stresses the healthy eating pyramid as opposed to the older food pyramid guidelines that many of us grew up with. He doesn't prohibit meat or dairy but suggests consuming them in moderation.
Many times throughout the book he stresses "that in order to attain the most benefits from physical activity that all individuals should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week." He gives many great suggestions how people can increase their activity level and become more active. I liked this book because he focused on the basics of eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly which are two vital parts to maintaining a healthy body weight.
If you are looking for an enlightening book that will encourage you to eat healthier, exercise regularly, and develop a healthy lifestyle then I highly recommend The Culprit & The Cure. It focuses on simple lifestyle changes not the latest fad diets, or extreme measures. The more I learn about wellness and fitness, the more I think success really boils down to the little daily habits that we consistently make because they make a huge difference over time. I really believe that the majority of our nation's health problems could be solved if individuals would just incorporate the simple principles this book promotes.
