My opinions the book called "How Not To Die" by Dr. Gregor

[Torn Mind]

Only 19 pages in. But there are some things coming.
It's written for an uneducated and impressionable audience. There's also a lot "take my word for it" with the statements it makes.

Page 19 has an excerpt in which his bias is evident. A casual passage about ancient societies having perfect teeth yet not flossing at all. He trivializes the information by saying candy bars were not around during that time. While the chapter was on heart attacks and this excerpt was merely to compare plaque on teeth with plaque in arteries, the person who actually went around the world checking these societies not yet contacted by the Western diet in the early 20th century was Weston Price. The diets he observed varied considerably, and some were clearly not plant-based. Gregor commits the sin of omission because of his "plant-based" diet.

The mention of a plant-based diet in the Introduction also exploits his audiences intellectual deficiencies. They do not know what they hell Chinese eat, Westerners have their own biases towards protein(beefphilics, not pig-philics), and the equating of studies as scripture rather than a lens that may only capture a portion of the image.

Thus, Mr. Gregor's book is likely a mediocre or worse reference for information.

Probably the most compelling and acceptable information is about how medical schools had no focus on nutrition at all or that diet actually mattered as a preventative measure against disease. It is probably the information regarding how perverse the incentives are for the pharmaceutical and medical industry that establishes trust between him and the reader, and thus allows his deficient intellectual liberties to be taken up wholesale and without further questioning or skepticism. Also, by omitting Weston Price's name, the reader's curiosity is not stimulated, and thus a comprehensive display of the diets he actually observed would not be made to the reader; this is critical as some of those indigneous diets were not "plant-based".

The introduction would prime the reader into trusting the author, for he provides a personal story in which all the facts seem to line up. He also presents information and experiences only someone who actually trained to be a doctor would also know and observe. That he observed deficiencies and presents those very real deficiencies to the reader completes the priming. The doctors and Big Medicine of the past are here to make a buck(yes they are), and disregarded the variable of nutrition in improving health. The providing of truths like these is critical to having the reader trust him. The problem is...this rapport is not consistently used for honest, truly objective ends. Far from being a true hero, what will be the result is an improvement over the status quo of diets, which some variation of the Standard American Diet.

 

[mike8675309]

I can appreciate that these are your opinions, but I hope others don't fall into a trap of agreeing with you without reading the book.
Every paragraph in that book is annotated with research and studies to back up what is said. If you disagree with the study, or how it was interpreted how about focusing on that.

That people still question the human benefit of a plant predominant diet is mystifying to me. Particularly people who are able to think critically.

I'm really curious if Weston Price found any societies outside the western one where red meat and cheeses from cow milk were consumed at the rate that we do here in the west and they were long-lived?
Nearly all the dietary research I have seen, particularly in the blue zones the diets were made up of primarily fruits and vegetables with "meat" and "cheese" being something less frequent or an addition to their meal vs the main part of their meal.

Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: A Focus on the Okinawan Diet

The traditional diet in Okinawa is anchored by root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, alcohol are also ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The traditional diet in Okinawa is anchored by root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, alcohol are also moderately consumed. Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are shared with other healthy dietary patterns, including the traditional Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and Portfolio diet. All these dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, among other age-associated diseases. Overall, the important shared features of these healthy dietary patterns include: high intake of unrefined carbohydrates, moderate protein intake with emphasis on vegetables/legumes, fish, and lean meats as sources, and a healthy fat profile (higher in mono/polyunsaturated fats, lower in saturated fat; rich in omega-3). The healthy fat intake is likely one mechanism for reducing inflammation, optimizing cholesterol, and other risk factors. Additionally, the lower caloric density of plant-rich diets results in lower caloric intake with concomitant high intake of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Other shared features include low glycemic load, less inflammation and oxidative stress, and potential modulation of aging-related biological pathways. This may reduce risk for chronic age-associated diseases and promote healthy aging and longevity