Gut Feelings by Dr. Will Cole Book Review

About the Book:

The definitive guide to understanding the connection between what you eat and how you feel, offering a 21-day plan to reset your relationship with your body and heal the gut inflammation caused by stress, shame, and trauma—from the New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting and Ketotarian.

It’s easy to suffer from frustration and confusion when it comes to nutrition and health. With so much focus on what, when, and how to eat, the emotional component of eating tends to get left behind. Dr. Will Cole sheds light on the relationship between your physical and emotional health, providing a framework for you to better understand the gut-brain connection and influence that connection for the better. He illustrates how stress and shame can cause gut inflammation and sabotage your health in a process called Shameflammation. On the other end, problems with the gut can often present themselves in the form of mood swings, anxiety, and food cravings. True health isn’t just about what you eat, but how you feel.

Shameflammation can be the reason for chronic health conditions such as autoimmune disorders, leaky gut, IBS, and other GI disorders. Thankfully, it’s possible to heal the connection between the physical and mental with good food and somatic practices that support a healthy gut and brain. Dr. Cole offers holistic tools to help you reevaluate your relationship with food and your body, getting you back in touch with your gut feelings. His 21-Day Gut Feeling plan helps you bridge the gap between your emotions and your health, including:

 • More than fifty healing recipes, such as Breakfast Fried Rice, Scallop Noodle Bowls, and Honey Grapefruit Sorbet
 • Dietary prescriptions founded upon flexibility and awareness
 • Mindfulness techniques to strengthen your intuition and discover your priorities

You can read an excerpt here.

My Review:

Recent studies have shown the importance of the gut. It is called our second brain. Cole draws our attention to the relationship between gut health and emotional and physical health, how the foods we eat impact mood and health.

We are familiar with gut feelings. They can be positive like excitement and hope. But Cole points out they can also be negative, like stress and shame. Such gut feelings can actually sabotage health.

Cole gives us much information on the kinds of foods beneficial for good gut health and the kinds of emotions and mental practices good for mental health. They go together. Each day in his 21 day plan includes a tip on gut health and one on emotional health.

I like his plan. It is not a “diet” but is rather more of an exploration on how to best provide foods most beneficial for the gut. Since not everyone reacts to food the same, we get to experiment and try options. Suggestions are given, say for getting protein, but we have a number of choices. He includes food lists and recipes but they are optional. We can also explore mental wellness practices. One day might suggest breathing options while another encourages to spend a few moments in nature or quietly sipping a cup of tea.

This is a good book for anyone desiring to have whole body wellness, physical and emotional. There is a great deal of information provided and a systematic plan to implement the choices we make. What we put in our mouths and think in our heads is important to our total wellness. Reading this book is very helpful in both areas.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional medicine expert specializing in thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal dysfunctions, digestive disorders, and brain issues. Dr. Cole graduated from Southern California University of Health Sciences as a doctor of chiropractic, and his extensive post-doctorate education and training is in functional medicine and clinical nutrition. Dr. Cole consults people around the world via webcam at www.drwillcole.com and locally in Pittsburgh. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Photo: © Tamara Muth-King

Rodale Books, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Food Triggers by Amber Lia

It seems like I have battled weight all my life. Like many Christians, I thought maturity, submission, consecration, etc. would be sufficient to win the battle. One of the struggles was around triggers, however, and they seemed to sabotage my dedication.

Lia's book is a welcome one in the weight struggle. I was happy to see her write that even mature Christians can still have issues with food triggers. Her strategy is to replace unhealthy patterns with God honoring habits. She addresses 31 common food triggers, applying biblical principles to each one.

She explores external and internal triggers. She encourages us to renew our minds rather than succumb to the world's mindless eating advertisements promoting indulgence. She helps us when eating out, when others intimidate us, when we attend church potlucks, when we travel, and several more external issues. I received the most encouragement from her writing on internal triggers. She helps us deal with stress, negative self talk, being lonely, feeling defeated or angry or shamed, and much more.

I appreciate Lia reminding us the stewardship of our bodies is a spiritual discipline. “There is a connection between spiritual growth and what we put in our mouth.” (132) That may be hard for some Christians to swallow. (Pun intended.) But, Lia says of herself, “I am still a work in progress...” (100) We all are on this journey. I now see food triggers are an opportunity for personal development, seeking God rather than food.

This book gives many practical strategies to conquer those pesky food triggers, helping us traverse farther on our journey to God glorifying well being.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Amber Lia is an independent certified health coach who has been on her own transformative health journey. She has written several books and is a former high school English teacher. She is a mentor for women and a regular contributing writer for The Better Mom. She and her husband co-run the faith-friendly production company Storehouse Media Group, and they live in Southern California with their four boys. You can find out more at http://amberlia.com/.

Bethany House, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Broken Bread by Tilly Dillehay

This book is a combination of memoir on how the author dealt with her food issues and an exploration of the spiritual nature of food and the influence of sin and man made rules on it. Along the way we are invited to have a whole new appreciation and enjoyment of food.

It's a thought provoking book. Dillehay has critical opinions of many popular Christian authors pushing “biblical” diets or some other “Christian” food fad. She invites us to find the real sin behind the sin related to food. She invites us to explore food as a community experience. She challenges us on the subjects of asceticism, gluttony, snobbery and apathy. She helps us understand alcohol consumption and fasting.

Dillehay explores how we learn to eat and drink to the glory of God. (I Cor. 10:31) She suggests we can use food as a way to know God better. We are challenged to change our emphasis from what we eat to how we eat.

This is not a diet book. It rather challenges us to have an attitude toward food that God desires. It is not at all what I expected but I was happily surprised by the challenging content. I wasn't excited about the telling of her own food experiences but did appreciate greatly her thought provoking questions and reading suggestions at the end of each chapter.

Food for thought: “How shall we Christians learn to eat?” (Loc 99/2506)

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Tilly Dillehay has a degree in journalism from Lipscomb University and has served as editor of a weekly newspaper and of a lifestyle magazine and is the author of Seeing Green. She writes at www.justinandtilley.com and contributes occasionally to The Gospel Coalition. She is the host of The Green Workshop, an event for women on the subject of envy. She lives with her husband and their three children east of Nashville.

Harvest House Publishers, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Full by Asheritah Ciuciu

I have read a ton of books on dieting. I've even read a number that drew my attention to the spiritual aspect of being overweight. But I have never read a book that identifies the core issue with such clarity as this one. And I have never read a book that has offered such practical suggestions to help me with that spiritual issue.

Ciuciu is blunt. Food cravings are meant to turn us to God, not a diet book. We don't need another diet. We need the Holy Spirit. She lets us know that food will never satisfy us. We are to find our satisfaction in God. Looking for satisfaction elsewhere is idolatry, a spiritual war we are in. “Satan will use whatever tool he can to distract people from seeking satisfaction in God...”

I've heard that before but what impressed me here is that Ciuciu goes to great lengths to explain how to stir up a hunger for God. It takes time and work and includes prayer and action. We must be continually resetting our minds toward God. She shares her own experiences and struggles and that section alone is worth reading the book.

In addition to practical spiritual help, Ciuciu also gives practical help in taming the role of food in our lives. She writes about triggers, for example, and how they are designed to turn us to God.

This book is, by far, about finding our satisfaction in God. “Idolatry is … believing God is not enough and that I need something other than Him to be satisfied.” “If all our needs are met in God, if He becomes our satisfaction every morning...” we will not look for satisfaction in food.

This is a hard hitting book yet is filled with compassion and practical help. Ciuciu has added a Digest the Truth section after each chapter with questions for individual or group use. I highly recommend this book to anyone willing to face the spiritual reality about food obsession.

You can find out more about the book and read comments by others at http://www.thefull.life/.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Asheritah Ciuciu is an author, speaker and blogger. She was born in Athens and grew up as a missionary kid in Romania. She has an English degree from Cedarville University. She is married, has two children, and lives in northeast Ohio. You can find out more about her, follow her blog, and sign up for a free course at http://onethingalone.com/.

Moody Publishers, 256 pages, This book releases January 3, 2017.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The 30-Day Faith Detox by Laura Harris Smith

Having read books on toxic faith in years past, I was excited to read this book. I was disappointed, however, that the title does not describe the contents of the book. This book is more about a physical body cleanse than it is about correcting toxic faith.

Smith says of her book, “This book is about assessing the current condition of your faith and being honest about it with yourself and God to ensure that your faith is in optimal health and ready to greet the greatness He has for you.” (14) That statement is a clue the book is more about believing with a view to receiving than it is about doctrine.

She writes, “...faith is the science of three components: spirit, mind and body.” (15) She argues that food and thoughts are connected. If what you eat affects what you think and if what you think affects your faith, “then it can be said that what you are eating is currently affecting your faith.” (35) “Detoxing and cleansing the stomach results in clearer thinking and sharper faith.” (36) The book is not so much about correct belief as it is a physical cleanse of the body.

Smith does address faith issues in each of the thirty day writings. These issues are usually ones of behavior or feelings, such as dealing with negative emotions from a church split, seeing Christian stars fall, being rejected by others, emotions after natural disasters, not tithing, not stepping out in faith, and getting rid of “stuff.” She also writes about dealing with toxic ideas coming in and recommends a media fast. She writes about breaking soul ties and about the spiritual toxin of not owning one's own home. Smith is full gospel and one of the toxins is unfulfilled (personal) prophecy.

I felt Smith did not really address many issues of fundamental toxic belief. She doesn't deal with harmful concepts such as thinking we must work for God's love and acceptance. I thought the most interesting section was about the misinterpretation of Paul's thorn in the flesh. “It is clear that the thorn in Paul's flesh was persecution.” (161) I wish there had more of this type of instruction about our faith in God, how we view Him, etc.

Early on Smith writes, “Because physical detoxification might be the most challenging component of our thirty days together...” (20) I think correcting toxic belief is many times harder than following prescribed smoothies or veggie and fruit mixtures.

If you are looking for a book truly on correcting toxic faith (in the sense of belief), this may not be the book for you. If you are looking for a book dealing with a body cleanse written in a Christian context and from a charismatic and full gospel viewpoint, this would be a good one.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Laura Harris Smith is a certified nutritional counselor. She and her husband founded and pastor Eastgate Creative Christian Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find out more at http://www.lauraharrissmith.com/home.html.

Chosen, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review. 

Let Food Be Your Medicine by Don Colbert, MD

I am very impressed with this book. I have read several of Colbert's books and I think this is his best one by far.

Colbert convinced me we can make good food choices that prevent, control, cure, or manage diseases like heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, dementia, hypertension, and most cancers. He is not opposed to medication but it should not be our default choice. We need to consider the foods we eat and the core issue of inflammation.

He shares his own experience of acute kidney failure while in medical school. His leg muscles were necrosed and he was told he'd never walk again. He managed to beat that but then developed a raging case of psoriasis. That began his study of diet, inflammation, food sensitivity, and food allergy.

Colbert gives us the essential elements of an anti-inflammatory diet, a modified Mediterranean Diet. He includes suggestions for specific diseases, such as arthritis and type 2 diabetes. He gives some convincing examples of how this eating plan has helped his patients.

I learned much from this book. I did not know that, “...every single degenerative disease has inflammation as the foundation. Every single one of them!” (57) That's why an anti-inflammatory diet is essential. I found out about the foods that feed cancer, like sugar. I learned about process foods and why it is important to avoid them. The same goes for GMO. I was reminded of the importance of exercise, like walking 30 minutes a day. I found out how hormones affect the appetite and how to find out if I am sensitive to a particular food.

I really like this book. While Colbert advocates a Mediterranean Diet eating plan, he provides particular modifications for dealing with many diseases, like ADD, dementia, and for loosing weight. Unlike other books I've read that try to sell you their own supplements, this book has everything you need to get your diet on track. I highly recommend it for those who are looking for a long-term healthy lifestyle diet.

Food for thought: “Nothing you eat is worth dying for.” (145)

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Don Colbert, MD graduated from ORU Medical School in 1984. He has been practicing medicine in Central Florida for over twenty five years. He has been board certified in family practice for over twenty five years and specializes in anti-aging medicine. He is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than forty books. You can find out more at www.drcolbert.com.

Worthy Publishing, 250 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Secrets From the Eating Lab by Traci Mann

Mann wants us to give up on dieting. They don't work and they can be harmful.

But does that mean binge out or never eat vegetables? No. “Giving up dieting means eating in a sensible way most of the time, without extensive rules or restrictions.” (187)

Mann shares her research about optimal health. She suggests we have a set weight range and should aim for the low end of it. We can do that by eating sensibly and exercising regularly. It does not have to be our life's work.

She gives loads of insight into weight loss studies. For example, dieting causes stress because of having to count calories or continually having to say no. In studying longevity, overweight people do not die any younger than normal weight people. I was surprised that eating comfort food does not make you feel better. Of the surprising results of her study, she says, “This is exactly the kind of experiment we like to conduct in my lab – one that questions a 'fact' that everyone assumes to be true.” Comfort food is a myth (and besides, you feel guilty for eating it).

She reminds us of the importance of regular exercise. It does not have to be anything complicated – just something as simple as walking will do. She has some good suggestions for a strategy to maintain an exercise habit. She also has really good suggestions for creating the habit of eating healthy foods.

This may be a bit of a controversial book. But those of us who have struggled to reach and stay at a weight ten or fifteen pounds lower than our body likes will breathe a sigh of relief after reading this book. I did.

Traci Mann is professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, where she founded the Health and Eating Lab. She is an expert on the psychology of eating, dieting, and self-control. She and her husband, also a professor of psychology at the U of M, and their two sons live in Edina, Minnesota.

Harper Wave, 255 pages.

This is What You Just Put in Your Mouth? by Patrick Di Justo

Why do I read books that I know are going to make me irritated? Perhaps, like Di Justo, I'm curious. What is in that stuff anyway?

This book is a little different than I thought it would be. These essays were originally articles for Wired magazine. The collection is not compelling reading but I was interested enough to read the entire book. In doing so, I found some interesting facts.

The first part of the book is about stuff we eat. Most of the articles are about processed and/or packaged foods. There was an article on red wine also. The ingredients (or chemicals) in each food are listed with commentary.

What interested me most was the additional material Di Justo provided. I found out how wishy washy and under funded the FDA is. I found the meaning of advertising terms, like “rich in” and “an excellent source of.” I found out how loose the term “organic” is. Did you know that “light” (“lite”) can be used to describe a food that has less than fifty percent of its calories from fat? I found out a serving size of a product is the amount a four year old would consume. (You've got to read the book to find out why.)

Of course, some of the ingredients are really odd. Hostess Lemon Fruit Pies contains calcium sulfate (Plaster of Paris) and only seven percent or less of material actually from lemons. I was surprised to find that lemon flavor can be developed from turpentine.

The articles about the meat products were very enlightening. One was on Spam and I'm not going there. I found out the U.S. Department of Agriculture categorizes beef. The bottom three, utility, cutter, and canner, are generally used in processed meet products. I don't even want to think about the mechanically separated chicken.

I learned that expiration dates on products are totally voluntary. There is no federal regulation in that area, although some states may require dates on products like milk.

The second part of the book is on nonfood products, like deodorant, fabric softener, lotions, bug killer, and more. I was surprised to find out that dandruff is caused by a yeast infection.

This was not the most interesting book I have read but I did find interesting tidbits in it. There is no consistency in the choice of products. It was just what Di Justo was interested in investigating. Nonetheless, I know I'll be checking the list of ingredients on products with a more careful eye in the future.

Patrick Di Justo wrote the popular Wired magazine column What’s Inside and is an editor at Make: magazine. A contributor to The New Yorker’s science blog, Elements, he also writes for The Atlantic, Popular Science, and Dwell, among others.

Three Rivers Press, 272 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

21 Super Foods

You've probably heard of “super foods.” This book clearly explains what they are and why they are so good for you.

I learned that grapes contain resveratrol which has been shown to increase life span in several species. The pomegranate has unique properties which help protect the inner lining of arteries and there is good fat in salmon. There are cancer inhibiting aspects of sprouts and mushrooms are brain food. Garlic is effective in so many areas and spinach is good for people who smoke. Goji berries are the highest antioxident energy food on the planet. Yams are an anti-inflammatory food.

There is so much to learn from this book. For example, “as a whole, cancers feed on sugar. So when you choose to eat sugar, you are giving cancer its favorite food.” (60) They have included a great deal in the book about why certain foods are healthy for you while others are not. The chemicals and processes involved are explained well.

Some of the foods I knew were good for me, like oatmeal. I had no idea that it is a natural way to increase levels of serotonin, however. Other foods were a surprise to me, such as celery which seems to lower blood pressure. I knew tomatoes were good for me. They are the best source of lycopene, which contains powerful antioxidents. But I did not know cooked tomatoes are better for us than raw ones. The cooking breaks down the cell walls, releasing more of the beneficial carotenoids. I had no idea citrus and chocolate can be potential headache-trigger foods or that (at least 70 percent) chocolate can lower blood pressure..

I have just touched on a few of the super foods described in this book and the nutritional information it contains. There are a few recipes included too, such as juice recipes to target specific conditions. There is also the reminder of the importance of organic foods, and they identify some that are particularly susceptible to retaining pesticide chemicals.

If you want to eat a healthy diet, this book will get you on the right path. It is short and very easy to digest.

Siloam (Charisma Media), 122 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

The Maker's Diet Revolution by Jordan Rubin

This book is about what Rubin calls the three principles or pillars of biblical health.

• Eat what God created for food.
• Don't alter God's design.
• Don't let any food or drink become your idol.

“I believe it's critical to return to our Maker's plan for eating healthy,” he writes. (20) He is proof of what he advocates. He shares his own near death condition, having been diagnosed with Crohn's disease when young. He went to a nutritionist who introduced him to God's health plan in the Bible. He believes following this plan saved his life and is the reason he is healthy today.

The plan builds on the twin goals of cleansing the body of toxins and building, restoring a healthy body. It is a ten day partial fasting program similar to what Daniel and his friends consumed. Rubin points out that Daniel was not necessarily a vegetarian so part of the plan includes meat.

After going through the regimen, he includes his ideas on skin care and exercise. He ends the book with sample eating plans and recipes.

Rubin sells the foods and liquids (and skin items) he recommends in the book. However, I was glad to see that one could still do the program without purchasing his products. He gives enough information, such as lists of foods, so that a diligent person may complete the cleansing and building on their own. Finding some of the items, such as Amasai, may be difficult.

Some parts of the plan surprised me, such as not eating until after noon and shortening the total hours of eating altogether. Other parts were not surprising, such as the emphasis on eating raw and organic foods.

Rubin includes many references to research in explaining why the plan is designed as it is. He has included no footnotes in this book so it should not be seen as a scientific work, by any means. In doing a little research on my own, I found that some of the studies are valid while others border on pseudoscience. An example is Jacque Benveniste's claim that water has a memory. Rubin admits that “Benveniste was misled by flawed experiments.” (60) Why even include a flawed study on water?

Something else to be aware of regarding this food plan is the number of disclaimers included in the book. Most of them are regarding consuming raw eggs or dairy. As with any change in diet, he also recommends consulting your health care practitioner first.

Overall I was impressed with this book. It is not just a gimmick to buy Rubin's products. There is really enough information included in the book that you could pretty much follow the regimen on your own.

You can find out more about the program and the author and read an excerpt here.

Jordan Rubin is the best-selling author of The Maker's Diet and twenty additional health titles. He is the founder of Beyond Organic, a company specializing in organic food, beverages, and skin and body care products that includes farming operations on over 8,000 organic farms in Missouri and Georgia.

Destiny Image, 272 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Book Club Network for the purpose of this review.

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist

Shauna is a bread and wine person – a Christian. She recognizes them as food and drink yet much more. They represent the sacred as well as the material. So she writes about family, friendships, and the meals that brought them together. She writes about God nourishing us as we nourish others. “Food is a reminder of our humanity, our fragility, our createdness.” Every meal is, or at least can be, a reminder of what Christ has done for us.

Shauna is honest about her own lessons learned from eating, like the experience of finding that her husband needed a gluten-free diet. She shares her passion for food and how she has come to her own rhythm of feasting and fasting.

She has included recipes that have become meaningful in her life. Being pretty much a vegetarian, many did not appeal to me (meet, chicken and fish eaters will love them). But I did make Robin's Super-Healthy Lentil Soup. It was delicious! And even now, Sullivan Street Bread is ready to go in the oven.

Appendices include suggested discussion questions and menus for four weeks of meetings, be it book group or cooking group. She gives suggestions for week night cooking, including pantry lists. Next she gives tips for entertaining, including sample menus.

Even if you are terrified of having people over for a meal, she has great ideas on how to start. We learn by doing. Recipes are the training wheels, Shauna says, leading us to two wheeled adventures.

Shauna wants us “to stop running from thing to thing to thing, and to sit down at the table, to offer the people you love something humble and nourishing...” Put down your phone and your to-do list. “The table is where time stops. It's where we look people in the eye, where we will tell the truth about how hard it is, where we make space to listen to the whole story, not the textable sound bite.”

Shauna's book brought to mind so many memories of my mother's Sunday dinners for our family of four sisters. My mother was one who showed her love through the food she made and the atmosphere she created as we ate. Mom is in heaven now, as is my oldest sister, but we three still get together once a month for Sunday dinner. We take turns hosting so the hourly drives are a small price to pay for keeping the tradition alive. I treasure the varied menus (two of my sisters spent decades overseas) as I do the family ties.

As my mother, born of Dutch immigrants, would say before our family meals on Sunday, “Eet smakelijk!”

Shauna Niequist is the author of two previous books. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband, Aaron, and their sons, Henry and Mac. Shauna writes about family, friendship, faith, and life around the table. Find out more at www.shaunaniequist.com.

Zondervan, 288 pages. See the publisher's page here.

I received a complimentary galley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Foodopoly by Wenonah Hauter

Our food system is broken, Hauter writes. Agriculture is big business and there is a disturbing corporate control of food, from the field to the market shelves. The corporations exert great economic and political power.

She tells of arsenic feed additives. A 2006 study of arsenic levels in the chicken meat sold at grocery stores and fast-food outlets found measurable arsenic in over half the retail packages (¾ of the non-premium brands) and in all of the fast-food chicken tested. (147) Today, it is estimated that nine out of ten chickens consumed had been fed arsenic.

She recounts of the pressure to deregulate meat inspection. “Consumers would no doubt be shocked to know that, as a result, today they are eating chicken with external blemishes, tumors, cancers, and gaping wounds oozing pus.” (127)

She writes about the meat and dairy industry, the mega factory farms, sharing similarly disturbing information.

And then there is the genetically engineered food. “The FDA allows companies to self-regulate when it comes to the safety of genetically engineered foods.” (255) I was shocked. Hauter writes, “Creating genes that don't exist in nature is a dangerous business and there is no way to predict how they will behave in living systems.” (267)

“Breaking the foodopoly and fixing the dysfunctional food system require far reaching legislative and regulatory changes...” (287) In the past the government has not stood up to the huge companies with their tremendous resources and political power.

What can we do? Hauter ends her book with a few chapters on what some have done and possibilities for further action, especially on a local level. Personally, avoid processed foods, she recommends. Get to know your local farms and shop locally.

This is a disturbing book. You need to read it to find out how that package of food you are reaching for got to that grocery shelf. I am sure you will find altering your shopping list and your eating habits are good ideas.

Find out more and watch an introductory video at http://www.foodopoly.org/.

Wenonah Hauter is the executive director of Food & Water Watch, a D.C. based watchdog organization focused on corporate and government accountability relating to food, water, energy, and environmental issues at the national, state, and local levels. She owns a working farm in The Plains, Virginia.

The New Press, 356 pages.