Released in 2009 The Perfect Formula Diet
is based on the life experiences and research of author Janice Stanger, Ph.D.
Having dealt with her own food cravings and obesity she had to learn a new way
of dealing with weight and eating. To win her battle she had to come to the
understanding that the body naturally will arrive at the perfect weight with
the right food intake. Her belief is that the real problem is poor decision
making regarding food choices and the heavy influence of modern day food
processing. As she points out in “Chapter 1: Perfect Body” and repeatedly throughout
the book, those who want to lose weight have to get back in balance to allow
your naturally perfect body to stabilize and heal itself.
“Chapter 2: Perfect Weight” starts sharing the
research that not only do traditional diets not work, plant based diets (vegan)
with no animal foods are the way to go. Regardless of genetics, race, or other
factors that might tend to influence things, those patients on plant based
diets lost weight according to the various studies mentioned here. A meat free
diet based on plant foods not only brings more fiber into your diet, it also
causes your metabolic rate to go to a higher level so that you burn fat.
Details and citations of the studies supporting the
author’s statements in this chapter, or in any of the chapters, are not directly
listed or cited in the book. In many cases the studies are not referenced by
title, author, institution, or any identifying information. Instead, to save
trees and printing costs¸ readers are encouraged to refer to the author’s
website for that information.
“Chapter 3: Perfect Foods” is all about what you
should and should not eat. Simplifying greatly, this chapter that begins on
page 23 advises readers to avoid manufactured foods such as white flour, white
rice, vegetable oils, white sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc. Avoid all animal foods or any food that come
from animals. This means avoid meats, eggs, fish, cheeses, etc. One should be
eating all types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and more.
Of course you do need protein in your food and that
is the point of “Chapter 4: Perfect Protein.”
How plant proteins really work for you and how animal proteins work
against you is covered here. A major point of this chapter is that too much
protein can cause uncontrolled growth. That in turns leads to obesity and cancer
among other things.
Nutrients are also important as noted in “Chapter
Five: Perfect Nutrients.” After citing the history of numerous athletes in
various fields who followed a plant based (vegan) diet, the author again makes
her case for a plant based diet that avoids all animal foods.
After reminding readers again on pages 60-61 to consult
with their doctor, especially critical for patients with chronic illness and/or
on medications, it is on with “Chapter 6: Perfect Formula Diet.” As the author notes, her idea is not one of
those eat high/low plans, but a plan based on balance. Therefore, based on
volume, your diet should by 25% of each category of vegetables, fruits, legumes/potatoes
and whole grains. You want to make sure to eat two tablespoons a day of ground
flax seeds as well as plenty of herbs and seasonings. You don’t worry about the
size of the portions. You eat when you are hungry and stop when you feel
satisfied. Also included here are some
suggestions for appropriate snacking.
After a while you will notice you like some things you
eat a lot more than others. But, to be most successful, you will need to rotate
the foods you consume. That is the theme of “Chapter 7: Perfect Rotation”
starting on page 71. Rotation of foods you consume and how the various groups work
together to help you lose weight and get healthy is stressed in this
chapter. Advantages of certain treats,
such as dark chocolate, are also covered here. An interesting part of this
chapter is addressing what to do if you are not seeing results after a few
weeks on the diet.
“Chapter 8: Perfect Start” starts on page 97 with an
opening pep talk on why you should change your diet before getting into
specifics. She advocates making a major shift in your eating habits one time
rather than making gradual adjustments. And how to do so mentally as your mind
and attitude have a role to play. Give it a month and see what happens is the
idea here.
Doing this change in eating habits requires some
planning and that is the point of “Chapter 9: Perfect Logistics.” This chapter
tells you how to change your shopping habits, how to make it work for your job
out of the home, eating out, and travel issues, among other situation. The
major point of this chapter is that planning will become easier the longer you
are doing the diet.
Money can be an issue and that is the point of the
very short “Chapter 10: Perfect Price.”
The foods themselves should be relatively inexpensive as you are buying
original foods that have not been processed. The author includes a few tips starting
page 128 such as to buy things that are in season and buy canned and dried
foods in large quantities when they are on sale to stretch things out further.
“Chapter 11: Perfect Evidence” is all about the
evidence gathered from around the world to support a plant based lifestyle. While
interesting information the placement of this chapter seems a bit odd as it
would have made sense to fold much of this information into chapter two making
the case for this lifestyle.
“Chapter Twelve: Perfect Health” also goes back over
material covered in earlier chapters and restates the information previously
provided. As explained before and again here, dietary issues cause healthcare
issues and costs and other problems.
This leads into a chapter about how your body defends
itself in “Chapter 13: Perfect Defenses.”
Inflammation is that defense shield for the body and can shift out of
control as seen in chronic disease. This can place a huge burden on your body
and lead to other issues.
This information leads readers to “Chapter 14:
Perfect Balance” where it is explained how some foods-- such as animal proteins
-- are foreign to the body and trigger immune system response. By changing your lifestyle to the author’s
advocated plant based diet, the immune reactions end, and the body returns to a
normal balance.
“Chapter 15: Perfect Puzzle Completed” is all about
hormones. Animal proteins can cause certain hormones to go out of control and
that can ultimately lead to cancer and other issues. That point and other information regarding
oxygen, estrogen, free radicals and more are here.
Making the point that what is happening to each
person is also happening to the planet is the idea of “Chapter 16: Perfect
Planet.” Eliminating animal protein from
everyone’s diet would remove the environmental factors with raising animals to
consume and would be a small positive step forward to detoxify the planet. No matter how hard we try to avoid it, chemicals
involved with animal production are in our food supply, as it stands, and therefore
in your body.
While you may have made adjustments in your eating
habits, you should not stop there.
“Chapter 17: Perfect Home” is all about removing the hidden threats in
your home. Critically important if you are still having health issues after
embracing The Perfect Formula Diet. The chapter contains a number of tips
as to what to look for and what to avoid in your everyday products.
Exercise, sleep, and alternative medicine are just
some of the topics briefly discussed in “Chapter 18: Perfect Next Steps.” The
main point is that once you follow the diet and detoxify, your perfect body
will naturally want to become more active and free of other issues.
Changing your personal environment and your role in
it has been a theme throughout the book. It becomes the forefront again in this
chapter titled “Chapter 19: Perfect Climate.” Repeating some of the same argument
made in earlier chapters, the author encourages readers to see modern manufactured
food for what it really is in terms if planet and society destruction.
Each chapter has a brief summing up of the highlights
of the chapter. Those are condensed and used here in “Chapter 20: Perfect
Story” summing up some of the highlights of the book.
Where to find information on recipes and other
things is the point of “Chapter 21: Perfect Resources.” This leads readers on
to a short reference page directing readers to the author’s website for study
information and a five page index that finishes the book.
Unlike many diet books, those readers looking for
specific meal plan suggestions will not find that information in The
Perfect Formula Diet. Readers will find lots of interesting information--often
repetitive--in this 260 page self-published book on why a plant based (vegan) diet
that avoids any form of animal protein would be good for you, your family, and
the planet as a whole.
The
Perfect Formula Diet: How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy Now with Six Kinds of
Whole Foods
Janice
Stanger, Ph.D.
Perfect
Plant Solutions
2009
ISBN#978-0-9841067-3-8
Paperback
260
Pages
$18.95
Material provided a very long time ago by Paula Krapf
of Author Marketing Experts in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2012
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