25 Invigorating New Low-Carb Diet & Health Books You Should Take A Second Look At

Finding a book about diet and health these days isn't difficult at all. Just go to Barnes & Noble or Amazon and you'll see title after title after title of people trying to tell you what you need to do to lose the pounds and get the body you've always dreamed of! Lemme tell you, no such book exists that can deliver on that, so you better not expect it from any book you ever read. You'll be in for a great disappointment.

But one thing books can help you do is look at your own personal weight problem and overall health to see if there are principles that can help you along in your own journey. I honestly believe most authors of these diet and health books truly feel they have some kind of positive message to share with their readers or they wouldn't have bothered spending months or even years of their life writing them.

When I wrote my debut book Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year in 2005, my intention wasn't to try to come up with some grand new diet that nobody had ever heard of yet to bring earth-shattering revelations to the public. As if! Nope, I simply wanted to share my low-carb success story in a fun, engaging, and entertaining as well as educating way that would give people the hope they needed to have so that they too could change their life forever like I did.

For the nearly 10,000 people who have purchased my first book so far, my goal was to leave them with a clear uplifting and encouraging message. It will ALWAYS be my aim when I write a book (and I'm working on one right now with a couple of more ideas for future books germinating in my head!) to motivate, encourage, educate and inspire all those who read it. That's what a GOOD diet and health book SHOULD be all about.

I've blogged about new diet and health books that I've read before and now I've got a collection of 25 more invigorating ones to share with you today. I thought you'd like to see what I thought about each of these books that have something to do with food, diet, health, low-carb, or cooking in some form or fashion. I liked most of these books and I think you should take a second look at them for yourself! ENJOY!


1. BBQ Bash: The Be-All, End-All Party Guide, from Barefoot to Black Tie by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig

You gotta love the BBQ Queens Karen Adler and Judith Fertig! I first met Karen at the 2007 HPBA Expo in Reno, NV where I interviewed her for my podcast show and then I saw her again earlier this year at the 2008 HPBA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. In that YouTube video I shot from this year's conference, she told me about this new book that was coming out and now it's here. If you like BBQ (and what low-carber DOESN'T?!), then you will enjoy this very colorful and loaded cookbook. Yes, there are a bunch of recipes (not all low-carb, but all super delicious!), but there are also tips about adding just a little something extra special to whatever party event you are having around the grill. If you wanna BBQ right, then you gotta trust the BBQ Queens. :D


2. Genocide: How Your Doctor's Dietary Ignorance Will Kill You!!!! by James E. Carlson

When you want to get somebody's attention, sometimes that means using language that underscores the severity of a problem. That's precisely what Dr. James E. Carlson has done with his new book. Regardless of your stance about low-carb diets, you owe it to yourself to read this book and learn from a doctor who has seen unbelievable improvements in ALL of his patients who have implemented the low-carb lifestyle into their health routine. The more unhealthy and obese that you are, the better you'll feel when you are livin' la vida low-carb. Whether you have diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, PCOS, or any of hundreds of other health ailments, low-carb could be the answer you've been looking for and Dr. Carlson shares why in this masterful book. If you want to know the truth about why the dietary ignorance of your doctor is leading you on a direct path to the grave, then READ THIS BOOK! You'll be glad you did.


3. Confessions of a Carb Queen: A Memoir by Susan Blech with Caroline Bock

Meet Susan Blech, a former 468-pound woman who backed on the pounds despite being healthy and fit as a kid and then a bodybuilding in young adulthood. But, as she says in her book, LIFE happened and the rest was history. Thankfully, at the age of 38, Susan took back her life and lost 250 pounds. But it wasn't before some rather humiliating circumstances in her life woke her up to this grave problem that she had been trying to deal with since the weight came pouring on. Anyone who has ever been obese will relate to these stories because they hit home. Susan moved to Durham, North Carolina to lose the weight...how did that go? This little square book reads like a riveting suspense novel and will entertain, educate, and motivate you to start doing some confessing of your own.


4. Why Your Last Diet Failed You and How This Book Won't Help You on Your Next One by Charlie Hills

When you've been on diet after diet after diet in your life, you become somewhat of an expert on the subject. And they always say to write what you know and that's exactly what Charlie Hills did with this humorously-titled book. Struggling to lose weight and then gaining it all back got frustrating and Charlie finally figured out that he needed to find what worked best for him (which turns out to be a healthy low-carb diet, by the way!). He hopes by sharing about his ups and downs over the years that other people can finally find that plan that will give them the final answer to this lifelong problem. And he's kinda funny talking about it, too. :D


5. The Farmer and the Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing and Spit-Roasting Grassfed Meat...and for saving the planet one bite at a time by Shannon Hayes

If you are one of the many who are flocking to grass-fed meats and wanna know how to cook them properly (yes, it's different than the grocery store meats you buy!), then you're gonna want to get a copy of this book. Shannon Hayes grew up on a farm and explains in great detail exactly why you should be eating grass-fed beef, lamb, pork and poultry, how to perfectly cook up those delectable cuts of meat so you can maintain all the wonderful nutrients in them, and shares some wonderful carnivorous recipes for your healthy low-carb lifestyle. What a gal!


6. Fat: It's Not What You Think by Connie Leas

This is one of the most intriguing books you'll ever read in your entire life. In just over 150 pages of text along with another 75 pages of references and charts, the author arms you with powerful evidence that dietary fat is not responsible for fat on the bodies and that healthy individuals need to be consuming higher amounts of fat than they currently are to stay that way. It's counterintuitive to our fat-fearing culture that hasn't got the first clue about what fats are healthy for them and which are not. This book should be your new go-to resource for anyone who still doesn't understand why fat is healthy. Get a copy for yourself and purchase extras to give away to your doctor, friends, family and anyone else who is stuck on fat being bad. Connie Leas clearly explains why it is not.


7. The Hot Latin Diet: The Fast Track Plan to a Bombshell Body by Dr. Manny Alvarez

With the sudden influx of the Latin culture in the United States over the past couple of decades, this has produced a heavy influence on the kinds of foods that have entered into the category of healthy. Things like avocados, cinnamon, and garlic are now widely considered superfoods because of their positive benefits to our health and these came into prevalence because of Latinos. Noted Fox News health correspondent and OB/GYN Dr. Manny Alvarez introduces many of these foods to the American people with this book and uses it as a springboard for sharing his beliefs about various other diets, including Atkins, South Beach, and The Zone, among other low-carb ones. It shouldn't be too surprising to learn he's not very fond of the low-carb lifestyle on the grounds that the jury is still out about the long-term impact of this way of eating along with the supposed health side effects, high consumption of saturated fats, and the restrictive nature of the diet. Ho-hum--we've heard all this before, Dr. Alvarez. And yet those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb are still here going strong. Even still, mixing in these seven Latin powerfoods into your diet (ironically, most of which are VERY low in carbs, by the way) could be the change you need to get your diet moving in the right direction.


8. Cracking the Metabolic Code by Dr. Jim LaValle

When I interviewed the author of this book for my podcast show recently, I was pleased to hear that he understands the critical importance of implementing a low-carb strategy for people who are dealing with obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and the like because it is the only way to "crack the code" to restore your body to maximum health. Far too often the medical community would rather choose to put someone with these conditions on a risky and oftentimes dangerous prescription pill rather than implementing a natural dietary routine to bring the condition under control. Thankfully, Dr. LaValle is NOT the kind of physician who thinks this way and instead uses specific supplements and low-carb foods to produce the necessary changes in health that patients are desperately seeking. There's no more fighting with your body to get it well when you unlock these keys to optimal health that Dr. LaValle shares.


9. Splendid Low-Carbing by Jennifer Eloff

This national bestselling book from longtime low-carber Jennifer Eloff contains over 350 deliciously low-carb recipes with 10g of carbs or less per serving. No matter how boring you think livin' la vida low-carb is, this book will prove to you that it only takes a little imagination to get those creative juices flowing to come up with some low-carb magic in the kitchen.


10. More Splendid Low-Carbing by Jennifer Eloff

If you loved Splendid Low-Carbing, then this book simply continues on with that theme with even more recipes for your healthy low-carb lifestyle. Included in this book are specific recipes for Dr. Atkins' fat fast for those who are especially resistant to a standard low-carb plan. You get soups, salads, meats, and desserts galore all designed to help you stay on your low-carb lifestyle for good!


11. Splendid Low-Carb Desserts by Jennifer Eloff

If you like making Splenda-sweetened desserts that contain just 10g carbs or less, then this is the book for you! This is the third in the "Splendid Low-Carb" series and Jennifer saved the best for last with these delectable desserts that will surely add a little something sweet to your low-carb lifestyle. Whether you like pies, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, or cookies, then this cookbook has a little something special for whatever low-carb dessert you get a hankering for!


12. Are You Ready!: To Take Charge, Lose Weight, Get in Shape, and Change Your Life Forever by Bob Harper

Who doesn't like Bob Harper from the hit NBC-TV weight loss reality show "The Biggest Loser?" That man has shown himself time and time again to have a heart of gold for average, everyday people who just need a little guidance to take off the weight they spent a lifetime putting on. When I interviewed Bob Harper nearly three years ago, he ended it by saying "You want to change, you need to change....let's get started. There is a whole life out there waiting for you.....GRAB IT!!!" With this new book, Bob continues that theme by asking "are you ready" to make those changes happen? If so, then he's ready to get you into shape like he does those contestants on television. First, he examines how and why you got to be overweight or obese in the first place and seeks to correct those issues before any diet or exercise is even introduced. Second, you get a low-calorie and lower-carb nutritional plan to follow designed to help you start shedding the pounds. Finally, Bob himself shows you in pictures the kind of exercises you can and should be doing to get your body into tip-top shape. If you ever wanted to know what "The Blue Team" has been through training under Bob Harper on "The Biggest Loser," then this is probably as close as you'll ever get to it!


13. The SuperFoods Rx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients by Wendy Brazilian, DrPH, MA, RD, Steven Pratt, MD, and Kathy Matthews

One of the freshest new words to appear in the vernacular of diet and health over the past few years is the term "superfoods." This describes those foods that are very powerful for your body because of their superior nutritional content. Things like blueberries, walnuts, strawberries, and tomatoes have been elevated to a new level because of the high amounts of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. This book seeks to use these superfoods in combination to help with weight loss and improving health. Not all of these superfoods are necessarily low-carb, but you can pick and choose the ones that work best within your chosen nutritional plan.


14. Women's Health Perfect Body Diet: The Ultimate Weight Loss and Workout Plan to Drop Stubborn Pounds and Get Fit for Life by Cassandra Forsythe, MS

If you have read The TNT Diet by Dr. Jeff Volek and Adam Campbell and wished there was a female version of that book, then this is it! In fact, the author Cassandra Forsythe works with Dr. Volek, a world-renowned low-carb diet researcher from The University of Connecticut, and has her name appearing on many of the latest low-carb research studies over the past few years. She believes in low-carb nutrition and was asked by Women's Health magazine to write a book about weight loss and fitness. Some have been critical of this book because they claim it focuses too much on low-fat and not enough on low-carb. But I think it does a good job of having people avoid the culprit carbs that pack on the pounds which is most important when you are looking for a diet plan that will actually work. The "secret weapon" behind this program is the glucomannan fiber that you sprinkle on your foods to make you fuller faster, take away your hunger, and to slow down the absorption of the food into your body. Again, critics say this is gimmicky, but it could be just what is needed to help someone struggling with their weight to get their body into shape. Forsythe is an avid weight trainer and provides specific exercises for women to get that "perfect body" they desire.


15. Lifetime Physique: 16 Weeks to A Better Body, A Better Life--A Better You by Stuart Schaefer

Have you struggled with wanting to change the way your body looks but not really knowing where to start? You are exactly the kind of person Stuart Schaefer was thinking of when he wrote this book. Helping you understand what needs to be done is only part of the process. First you must convince yourself that you CAN do this and that you WILL succeed. Until that happens, all the information about training your body and getting into shape is useless. Stuart helps you with this by offering mental focus that guides you to the point where you need to be so you'll be receptive to the message. When you get to the actual heart of Stuart's diet plan, I was disappointed to see some glorification of carbohydrates (supposedly the good kind) while saturated fat was vilified as the "bad" kind. This does not take into account the latest research that has come out in recent years and I'm surprised Schaefer chose to ignore this. In the section on the actual workout regimen, I was pleased to see he recommends working out LESS to achieve better results. Step-by-step pictorial instructions about what you do and when you do it are included so you're not left wandering on your own without having a clue about what you are doing (this is important for newbies to resistance training). It's not a bad book and the author seems like a nice enough guy. But some of his dietary advice is too caught up in the conventional wisdom that we now are learning isn't exactly right.


16. Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner by Jodi Bager and Jenny Lass

One of the hallmarks of the healthy low-carb lifestyle is avoiding not just refined carbohydrates like sugars, but also choosing to avoid those so-called healthy whole grains as well. For some people who have celiac disease, they don't have the luxury of choosing whether they eat grains or not--they cannot or they might die. Consuming gluten-free foods is invaluable for the health of people with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease. This recipe book is not explicitly low-carb in nature, although there are many recipes included that are entirely appropriate for livin' la vida low-carb. The main thing you'll get is an education about why it is important to eat specific kinds of carbs, an explanation about why eating fat is good for you, and stocking your cabinets with the key ingredients necessary to make these delicious recipes. Bon appetit!


17. The Diet Selector: From Atkins to The Zone, More Than 50 Ways to Help You Find the Best Diet for You by Judith C. Rodriguez, PhD, RD, FADA

You know my adage by now if you've been paying any attention to the basic philosophy I espouse for people wanting to lose weight and get healthy--find the proven plan that will work for you (and that you'll enjoy!), follow that plan exactly as prescribed by the author (and don't try to figure it out on your own), and then KEEP doing that plan for the rest of your long and healthy life (with only minor variations to fit your individual needs). That's it! And that is what I was hoping this book did for people who are unsure about which plan they should choose. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. I will give them credit--if the diet exists out there, then it appears in this book in some form or fashion. But to see how reliable the information provided was, I decided to turn to the page about the Atkins diet since that is the plan that I ultimately chose to help me lose 180 pounds in 2004. I couldn't believe this registered dietitian author, an active member of the American Dietetic Association, made such a major blunder right off the bat when she claimed the title of Dr. Atkins' original diet book in 1972 was called The Atkins No Carbohydrate Diet. Ummmm, not exactly, Dr. Rodriguez. Actually, it was called Atkins' Diet Revolution. It makes you look like you didn't really do your research with such an obvious faux pas as this. Add to that under the list of "Resources" for people to get further information about the Atkins diet, she lists a well-known ANTI-Atkins web site run by the radical low-fat vegetarian PETA front group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). That's not exactly an unbiased web site sharing information about the Atkins diet. As if those two strikes against the reliability of the information in this book in regards to the Atkins diet weren't enough, strike three came when I looked at the "Sample Menu" of a typical Atkins diet meal plan. Is she joking here?! Apple juice? Grapefruit salad? Pork and peach salad? Carrots? Peaches? Corn tortilla? White beans? Is it just me or do you get the feeling that Dr. Rodriguez hasn't got the slightest idea what the heck she's talking about regarding the Atkins low-carb lifestyle? That leaves me with no other conclusion but that you simply cannot rely on her to provide reliable, unbiased information about the various diet plans. FYI--the low-fat plans like Ornish and Weight Watchers are given GLOWING reviews without the use of any ANTI-low-fat propaganda web sites. Hmmmmm.


18. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

One of the most brilliant diet and health writers of our day has got to be Michael Pollan. As a worthy follow-up to his instant classic The Omnivore's Dilemma, this book comes strongly to the defense of REAL food as opposed to the heavy reliance on packaged creations that dominates the typical American family dinner table. What if most of the diseases we are dealing with have more to do with the diet we are consuming in the fast-paced lifestyle of the 21st century and less to do with whatever the latest nutritional flavor of the day advice is out there? It's a rather thought-provoking exercise that is worth reading every glorious one of these 230-something pages of text. Pollan is on to something HUGE her and I can't wait to see what else he comes up with if he keeps writing about diet in the future.


19. The Prairie Table Cookbook by Bill Kurtis and Michelle M. Martin

Do you remember the classic television show Little House on the Prairie? What a great show that was and there were huge meals around the table to feed all the kids and adults in the household. Don't you know many of the meals that were served back in those days were much healthier compared to modern-day America? A big reason for that was the meticulous attention to detail that our American western ancestors paid to things like raising cattle properly by feeding them grass instead of grain. Grass-fed beef is a lost art these days despite the fact it is nutritionally superior to the mass-market beef you can buy in supermarkets. This book gives you some of the history behind where grass-fed beef came from, why it is so healthy for your body to consume, and over 100 mouthwatering recipes that are sure to please your low-carb palate.


20. The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size by Julia Cameron

If only it was as easy as writing your way to weight loss (typing does burn calories, right?!), then everybody would become a William Shakespeare overnight. But alas parting with that myth is such sweet sorrow. However, there is merit to the idea of getting your mind off of eating when you really don't need to by putting your thoughts down on paper. Gee, imagine that! The concept behind this book is a good one because it forces you to share thoughts with yourself that you may not even realize were there before. Being honest with yourself about how you choose to live your life, including the foods you stuff in your mouth, will open your eyes to a reflection of YOU that may have never manifested itself before. This book reaffirmed for me one of the major reasons I enjoy blogging so much--it's a creative release that allows me the chance to lay it all out there while taking my mind off of idle things that could drive me to eating that high-carb junk again. So maybe writing is a great way to weight loss after all!


21. Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution: Turn Off the Genes That Are Killing You--And Your Waistline--And Drop the Weight for Good by Steven R. Gundry, MD, FACS, FACC

What is about cardiologists that make them understand the importance of livin' la vida low-carb when hardly anyone else in the medical community has an inkling of a clue. Like Dr. Atkins and Dr. Agatston (from South Beach diet fame), Dr. Steven Gundry is a heart surgeon who realizes why people get fat--it ain't the calories, it ain't because you lack willpower, it ain't because you eat too much dietary fat! You might be pleasantly surprised to hear him say whole grain carbs may not be as good for you as we've been told, why the KIND of fruits and vegetables that you choose are vitally important to your weight and health, and how eating a diet lower in carbs and higher in fat while getting moderate amounts of protein can and will help you get healthy simply through nutritional changes. It's the evolution of the low-carb revolution and Dr. Gundry is leading the charge! WAY TO GO!!!


22. Sleep to be Sexy, Smart, and Slim: Get The Best Sleep of Your Life Tonight and Every Night by Ellen Michaud and Julie Bain

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz! Er, uh, what? Sorry, I was catching a quick nap there before writing this review because we all know about the importance of getting in a good quality night's worth of sleep to our weight and health, don't we? DON'T WE?! Well, if you haven't heard about it before, then lemme tell you--if you want to lose weight, then you really do have to commit yourself to rest. Otherwise, all sorts of biochemical reactions with hormones and stuff like that will wreak havoc on your system until you can't go any more. The body will get what it needs one way or another and it's up to you to do your part with sleep. You'll reap the benefits of that, as the authors from Reader's Digest magazine state, including looking and feeling better and healthier than you ever thought possible. Included in this book are ways to get to sleep (interestingly, when it comes to recommended foods for sleep virtually ALL of them are high-carb--IMAGINE THAT!).


23. Ten Years Thinner: Six Weeks to a Leaner, Younger-Looking You by Christine Lydon, MD

When you look as good as the author of this book does, it's difficult to argue with the results. She's a perfect example of how her program can do exactly what the title of her book suggests. And I LOVE Dr. Lydon's emphasis on the fact that this isn't about going on a diet--it really is about changing your life through simple changes in your current habits. This is the only way to achieve a permanent lifelong solution to your weight and health issues. The best part is she understands the importance of eating like our early ancestors making sure we get adequate protein in our diet to aid muscle growth which leads to the burning of stored fat and she articulates beautifully why consuming fat will have a "slimming effect" that most people have no idea about because they are scared witless about eating any. Unfortunately, when it comes to carbs she's not quite on the same page as most low-carbers are and describes a low-carb ketogenic diet as "a recipe for disaster." That's too bad, but you might be interested in reading this book to see her reasons WHY she believes that as an intellectual exercise in challenging what you believe. Although she wasn't very flattering towards low-carb diets, Dr. Lydon does show how you can give your body a good workout without lifting a single weight or going to the gym (using your own body weight instead). It's not a bad book overall, so you might want to check it out.


24. Easy Living Low-Carb Cooking: Over 150 Induction-Friendly Recipes by Theresa Sloan and Tracy Westbrook

If you are just starting off on the low-carb lifestyle and following Induction, then you may need some guidance about how you can cook up simple, easy-to-follow recipes that are low enough in carbohydrates for those early days of your brand new lifestyle change. For some of us, we have to stay pretty low with our carb intake ALL THE TIME, so having a cookbook full of recipes that contain no more than 6g carbs each is a real lifesaver. And these aren't boring recipes either--you get to make fried cheese sticks, low-carb fajitas, breaded pork chops, homemade vanilla ice cream, Bavarian cream pudding. The list goes on and on with delicious and nutritious foods that will keep you livin' la vida low-carb without the worry of eating too many carbohydrates. This is DEFINITELY a book that every new and old low-carber should have on hand when you need a creative shot in the arm for your low-carb lifestyle.


25. Healthiest Meals on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What Meals to Eat and Why by Dr. Jonny Bowden

If you haven't been following this series of books from Fair Winds Press by Dr. Jonny Bowden the past couple of years, then you don't know what you've been missing. It all started with The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth early last year followed by The Most Effective Natural Cures On Earth just a few months back. Now this new book incorporates many of the foods from those two books to provide some yummy to your tummy recipes that both taste good and are good for you. For those of you who are new to Jonny's books, you have to know that he wrote Living The Low-Carb Life--the book I believe is THE must-have book for every low-carber to own because it clearly outlines what this way of eating is all about. In these newer books, Jonny's fervor for healthy low-carb living has not diminished one bit. GET THESE BOOKS and tell everyone you know about them because they are heads and tails above what most nutrition "experts" are sharing nowadays. I can't wait for people to meet Dr. Jonny Bowden in person on the January 2009 low-carb cruise.

Got a new diet or health book that you think I should know about? Feel free to bring it to my attention by e-mailing me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I will try my best to read it, review it, and then share about it here. Keep your eyes open for later this year when there will be a TON of new books about livin' la vida low-carb coming out. I CAN'T WAIT! :)

Dr. Jonny Bowden's Virtual Book Tour Coming February 19

Dr. Bowden recently released "The Most Effective Natural Cures On Earth"

One of the most highly respected and celebrated health experts of our day who is actually friendly towards livin' la vida low-carb is none other than Dr. Jonny Bowden. He is a board-certified nutritionist and a longtime beloved weight loss coach inspiring many with his one-of-a-kind writing and speaking style. Currently he serves as a contributing writer for America Online and is involved in a myriad of other opportunities to share the positive message of healthy living with the masses. I named him among my Top 10 Low-Carb Movers & Shakers Of 2007 and he is someone we can all look up to as a leader for low-carb living.



Jonny has written one of the most outstanding books about the low-carb lifestyle that's ever been penned entitled Living The Low-Carb Life and followed that masterpiece up with a fabulous book on Fair Winds Press last year called The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth that listed many delicious and nutritious low-carb foods amongst the list of the most healthy morsels of goodness you can possibly put in your mouth.

Well, Jonny's back again with a follow-up to that bestseller now called The Most Effective Natural Cures On Earth: The Surprising Unbiased Truth About What Treatments Work And Why and I am in the midst of reading it as we speak. Fans of The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth will absolutely eat this one up because the format nearly identical as Jonny goes through some of the most gripping health ailments of our day and finds an all-natural cure for each of them. You'll be happy to hear that livin' la vida low-carb is prescribed for a whole lotta things, including polycystic ovarian syndrome, high cholesterol and weight loss, for example, so stay tuned for my review of that book as well as an interview with Dr. Jonny Bowden on my podcast show coming very soon. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, check out these two free chapters from The Most Effective Natural Cures On Earth and see for yourself what this new book is all about. Then head on over to the Dr. Jonny Book Tour web site to learn about this event that is set to take place virtually on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 8:00pm EST. Jonny will be interviewed by veteran interviewer and marketing wizard Alex Mandossian about his new book! You WON'T want to miss this chance to hear about one of the best new health books of 2008 from this diet and health giant!



Interestingly, Jonny's publisher will waste no time with delivering another follow-up book on July 1, 2008 called The Healthiest Meals On Earth: Recipes That Fortify, Protect, And Nourish You featuring full-fledged recipes that incorporate the foods from the first two books in the series to create some of the most delectable meals on the face of the Earth! Jonny is a busy man and I personally don't know how he fits it all in. But he, like me, enjoys staying active and involved, so let's support him in his efforts to educate people to start living better than they ever thought possible!

15 New And Essential Diet & Health Books I've Been Reading Lately

I don't know about you, but ever since I started livin' la vida low-carb I've had such an unprecedented hunger and thirst for information about nutrition, fitness, diet and health like never before in my life with any other subject. Even when I was studying government and politics in college and graduate school, I never felt THIS excited about reading so many books and resources. It's an educational awakening that I think most low-carbers go through because of the enlightenment we see happening to our own weight and health.

To that end, I'm always happy to share with you some of the most current and not-so-current books I have come across and read while studying this fascinating subject. But, as will often be the case, the books do tend to pile up on me a bit, so today I'm gonna highlight 15 new and essential books about diet and health that I've been reading lately along with a few comments about each one.

Keep in mind that not all of these "diet" books are explicitly low-carb friendly, but that's okay since I think we can still find merit in the experiences shared by the authors of those books (even if we have to hold our noses with some of their "expert" opinions). Likewise, several of these books will have you stand up and cheer because they quite clearly espouse the basic tenets of a healthy low-carb lifestyle.

So, without further delay, let's take a look at these 15 books:


1. The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution: The Slow-Motion Exercise That Will Change Your Body In 30 Minutes A Week by Fred Hahn, Dr. Michael Eades, and Dr. Mary Dan Eades

After I decided to finally get serious about starting a resistance training regimen a few weeks ago (which is going great so far and I'll have an update on my progress soon), I received several e-mails from my blog readers who told me to look into the "slow burn" method for training. I had no idea what they were talking about because I wasn't really into weight lifting until recently. It turns out this was a unique form of weight lifting that was developed by Fred Hahn in conjunction with two of my favorite low-carb advocates: Dr. Michael Eades (who should be our next president, ya know...LOL!) and his lovely wife Dr. Mary Dan Eades.

Hahn as been a professional trainer for over two decades and believes people have been given useless information as it relates to exercise. As a natural skeptic of anything regarding health since starting low-carb, my curiosity was piqued. Rather than doing hours upon hours of cardio training every week, Hahn says, why not invest in a deliberate and very intense weight lifting that is unlike anything you've ever seen or done before? That's what The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution is all about and it will radically change what you think you know about building muscle.

When these strategies outlined by Hahn and the Eades are implemented correctly, your body will get stronger, burn more fat, rev up your metabolism, and you'll do it faster than you ever thought would be possible. In fact, he says you can get all the workout you need in just 30 minutes a week. Yep--A WEEK!

In conjunction with a healthy low-carb lifestyle, you'll be lifting slowly, feeling the burn in your muscles quickly, and getting stronger and stronger as the weeks go by. Whether you have access to gym equipment or if you can only fit it in your schedule from home, it's all in this book and then some. Specific detailed instructions about the exercises you need to do are included and they answer all the questions you may have about each one.

After spending a lifetime of torturing yourself on a treadmill to try to lose weight with little to no results, maybe it's time to give The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution a try to get stronger, feel better, and do your body some good. I'll be interviewing Fred Hahn very soon about his one-of-a-kind fitness routine that stresses low-carb nutrition to correspond with effective muscle-building workouts. Stay tuned!


2. Start Living, Start Losing: Inspirational Stories That Will Motivate You Now by Weight Watchers

Although I'm certainly no fan of the low-fat philosophy embraced by Weight Watchers, what I DO support is people finding a proven and effective weight management plan that they can do over the long-term for the rest of their life. For some people, that diet that's right for them is indeed Weight Watchers as the book Start Living, Start Losing illustrates.

If you're a sucker for hearing weight loss success stories, then this is quite an inspirational book for you to read. It is sanctioned by the Weight Watchers organization, so all of the more than 60 stories are from people who followed that plan. But I liked the format of this book and it would make for an excellent book about low-carb success stories one of these days.

Each chapter features stories from people of all ages, backgrounds, occupations, and health. They are written from the first person which is always more interesting hearing directly from the person who went through the hard work and effort themselves to lose the weight. At the end of the 2-3 page story, a quick "take-away" message is provided to hammer home the key ingredient in that person's success along with a motivational quote from the individual who was featured.

Although I could never do the Weight Watchers program (and many of them are totally enthralled by livin' la vida low-carb), I'm always the first to applaud success when it happens. If someone is happy on Weight Watchers, then who am I to tell them it's not right? But the same goes for my decision to be on the healthy low-carb lifestyle and sharing my story too. Weight loss isn't about whose diet is better, but rather what can produce results. Make your choice and then stick with it!


3. Modern Nutritional Diseases And How To Prevent Them: Heart Disease, Stroke, Type-2 Diabetes, Obesity, Cancer by Drs. Fred and Alice Ottoboni

So much of the research into the most destructive health ailments we now face is focusing on the role of the diet. This is something Dr. Fred Ottoboni and his wife Dr. Alice Ottoboni know a thing or two about. Before retirement, they had spent many years of their career investigating, studying, and researching disease occurrence among various people groups around the world and they discovered something quite revealing in light of our current crisis with obesity, diabetes and worse: much of it is preventable by simply ignoring the high-carb, low-fat, low-cholesterol advice that has sadly become accepted as the "healthy" diet.

In Modern Nutritional Diseases, Drs. Ottoboni explain in meticulous detail why those diets are useless against most modern diseases and shares the research showing the elimination of sugars and starches will put us back on the road to health faster than removing saturated fat and cholesterol from our diet. There's even an invaluable chapter on how to distinguish good science from bad science among the many voices telling us what the facts are.

The references and charts contained in this book make it well worth having in your low-carb library. I'll warn you now that it does get a bit technical in some areas, but this stuff isn't simple either. There are many things to evaluate and analyze in the process of coming to the conclusions about nutrition and metabolism that Drs. Ottoboni do. This is every bit as good a book to read as Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories was because it complements much of the same concepts and ideas.

My favorite part is at the end in a chapter called "What do you do now?" the authors give you practical instructions about making the changes you need in order to ward off the modern nutritional diseases in your own life. Specifics about diet, supplements, exercise, and suggested resources for further education are provided. This is an invaluable tool for anyone following a controlled-carbohydrate nutritional approach or who wants to learn more about why this way of eating works so well.


4. The Fattening Of America: How The Economy Makes Us Fat, If It Matters, and What To Do About It by Eric A. Finkelstein & Laurie Zuckerman

Have you noticed that EVERYBODY is an obesity "expert" nowadays? It's not just nutritionists, nurses, researchers and physicians either. We've got psychologists, government officials, and even economists weighing in on the subject using their experiences to try to resolve this growing problem. That's what happens in The Fattening Of America by Dr. Eric Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman. They look at the obesity epidemic as an issue with money (or the lack thereof) and what role the government should play in dealing with what they call "The ObesEconomy."

Although there are many good points made in the book about the obesity issue, I couldn't help but notice one VERY glaring omission as to why this problem still exists in 2008: special interest protection of the grain, sugar, processed foods, and low-fat industries. If they were left dangling on their own in the free marketplace just as the egg and beef companies have been, then the low-carb lifestyle would perhaps become more widely accepted as an alternative nutritional approach for people struggling with their weight.

Unfortunately, Dr. Finkelstein chooses to ignore this and simply spread the "blame" around to everyone else for obesity. But that's not all that got under my skin about the conclusions made in this book. Although he agrees with me that individuals, not the government or society, must deal with obesity, Dr. Finkelstein says that the government needs to step in to treat childhood obesity when the parents aren't doing a good enough job at it.

Say what?! I don't think so. If the government can't even give credence to low-carb the way they do low-fat diets, then I certainly don't think they have a shred of credibility about how children should be fed in order to properly manage their weight. Leave that job to the parents and give THEM education that is based on the latest science and not some opinions a bunch of "experts" came up with decades ago about what's healthy!

The overall conclusion of The Fattening Of America is that it should be easier and more affordable to get thin and eat healthy in the United States than it is to purchase cheap junk food that's gonna keep making us fat. Amen to that and hopefully there are feasible ways of making that happen. It may take bringing down some very powerful industries that won't go down without a fight!


5. The All-New Atkins Advantage: The 12-Week Low-Carb Program to Lose Weight, Achieve Peak Fitness and Health, and Maximize Your Willpower to Reach Life Goals by Dr. Stuart L. Trager and Colette Heimowitz

What's with a brand new "Atkins" book being published years after the famous low-carb diet doctor has deceased? Well, it's not by the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, but you could say he was the one who inspired it and may have indeed written it himself had he lived a few more years. It's called The All-New Atkins Advantage featuring the writing and research of Ironman competitor and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stuart Trager as well as Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. spokeswoman Colette Heimowitz.

I'm gonna admit I was quite skeptical of this book when I first heard about it. I mean, come on! Do we REALLY need another book to tell us how to do the Atkins diet? Well, yes and no. As someone who lost 180 pounds after reading and implementing the principles found in Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution back in 2004, I couldn't imagine what this "new Atkins" book would tell me to improve upon what I previously learned. But I try to keep an open and am always willing to learn.

This new Atkins is very focused on giving people a specific 12-week plan for success, including tips about how to implement the diet into your life with menu plans and advice about how to become a success. One of the ways that is done is by providing a myriad of low-carb plans to choose from based on YOUR specific needs.

When I was losing weight on Atkins, my carbohydrates needed to stay around 35g a day in order for me to keep losing weight. Some people need less than that while others can get away with more carbs. Since we're all different, The All-New Atkins Advantage tries to accommodate and customize this plan to your specifications based on your body. They don't really tell you which one to follow, so I suppose you start at 20g and work your way up. How is this different from the Atkins diet I did?

Well, there is one major difference about this book that was not given as much space in any of the previous Atkins books. Dr. Trager uses his fitness experience and provides pictorial demonstrations of various exercises you should be doing as part of your healthy low-carb lifestyle. This is indeed a sorely needed addition to the Atkins plan that I'm happy to see.

Answers to the most common questions and criticisms of livin' la vida low-carb are also included in this book which was inspired by all the positive developments that have been happening in the research world since the passing of Dr. Atkins. It makes you wonder if he would have written a similar book had he stuck around a few more years. Who knows?

Regardless, you'll enjoy this book immensely if you are new to the Atkins lifestyle or if you are seeking to learn more about low-carbohydrate dieting. Don't miss the comprehensive list of low-carb studies in the back of the book to see all of the amazing science that has been flooding health research journals in recent years.


6. The Inside-Out Diet: 4 Weeks to Natural Weight Loss, Total Body Health, and Radiance by Dr. Cathy Wong

For those of us who have struggled with our weight for the majority of our lives, we know that simply cutting back on our calories and fat ain't gonna cut it. When most people get exacerbated by the continued failure of these kind of diets, they turn to weight loss pills or surgery instead. Not good!

That's where Dr. Cathy Wong's The Inside-Out Diet comes in. Instead of focusing on the weight loss (which will still happen, by the way!), this plan gets people to eat for the sake of their health instead by consuming a nutritional program that will allow your liver to function better than it ever has before. Yes, this is a detoxification diet, but it's so much more.

I especially enjoyed the step-by-step approach of this diet looking at every possibility for why you might not be losing weight, including food allergies and intolerances, stress, excessive insulin production, and more. It's as if Dr. Wong takes you by the hand to assure you that we WILL get to the bottom of your obesity problem and attack it from "the inside-out."

For fans of recipes, Dr. Wong includes 50 of her favorites in the back of the book. She earnestly believes in the slow, methodical approach to weight loss because it's about eating healthier first and foremost. If more people took on this philosophy of eating primarily for the sake of their health, then obesity rates would drop faster than they ever have before.


7. Men's Health TNT Diet: The Explosive New Plan to Blast Fat, Build Muscle, and Get Healthy in 12 Weeks by Dr. Jeff Volek and Adam Campbell

University of Connecticut researcher Dr. Jeff Volek, who has been behind some of most "explosive" research into low-carb diets and, most recently, saturated fat consumption as part of a healthy lifestyle, teamed up with Men's Health Features editor Adam Campbell to create a dietary fitness plan tailored for people who want to burn body fat, increase their muscle, and live healthier. That's what the TNT Diet is all about.

You know with Dr. Volek and Campbell behind this book, you ain't gonna be stuck eating a miserable low-fat, calorie-restricted diet. No way! Instead, you won't count a single calorie, you'll get to eat delicious and nutritious fatty foods that have never been a part of a "diet" before, and you'll only have to invest 90 minutes of exercise a week. Sound like a plan, man?

They don't sugarcoat the message you need to hear and speak honestly about the investment of consistent time and energy to doing this throughout the book. Of course, those "TNT Transformation" stories sprinkled throughout the book will keep you motivated in your own journey. It's not just about the weight loss, but the changes you are making to your body's muscles. It won't take long to notice the difference!

There's a mouthwatering list of TNT Diet-approved recipes between the nutrition and training section so you'll be fueled up ready to go with your workouts. And it's not all fun and games--although the picture demonstrations about how to do each exercise helps you know EXACTLY what to do. There's a nice summary of what you can expect to happen to your health after going on this diet in the back. It will be what motivates you to get serious about your health for good this time.


8. The Hershberg Diet: Discover How the Fourth Macro Can Help You Shed Pounds and Beat the Metabolic Syndrome by Dr. Melissa Hershberg

We all know about the three macronutrients which have been at the very heart of debates about diet for the past few decades--fat, protein, and carbohydrate. But, according to Canadian nutrition activist Dr. Melissa Hershberg, there's a "fourth macronutrient" we all should be aware of and strive to get more into our bodies in order to lose weight and get healthy. It's WATER!

Just as I recently shared in a YouTube video, drinking plenty of water is an important part of your healthy lifestyle and that's the essence of what has become The Hershberg Diet. And it's not just the water you drink straight from that tap, but the plethora of food choices that contain lots of water, too. Dr. Hershberg explains it all for you in her book.

In fact, she names a FIFTH macronutrient when she reveals alcohol contains 7 calories for each gram that is consumed. Most people don't think about these additional calories from alcohol, but they can add up despite being low-carb and sugar-free. You need to budget for alcohol in your diet if that's something you want, but it's not a freebie by any means.

I appreciate Dr. Hershberg's focus on the role of insulin in obesity, but then she recommends all this low-fat and fat-free crap that quite frankly I can do without! Keep your lean ground turkey and skim milk, thank you very much. Unfortunately, this diet is indeed a low-calorie, low-fat program along with all that water you'll eat and drink. It's a nice concept, but the wrong dietary plan for most people.


9. The True You Diet: The revolutionary diet programme that identifies your unique body chemistry and reveals the foods that are right for YOU by Dr. John Briffa

One of the most respected and outspoken doctors who is speaking common sense as it relates to diet and health is Dr. John Briffa from the UK. Unlike most of the medical establishment these days, Dr. Briffa realizes that weight loss can never be solved with a one-size-fits-all remedy as has too often been tried. That's why he came up with The True You Diet.

He believes that most people should look at their early ancestors for the answers about how to remain lean and fit. These "hunter-gatherers" didn't worry about obesity and disease because their non-processed, low-carb, high-fat diets gave them all the energy their bodies needed to survive and thrive. Returning to this original diet is the missing element in our diet in the 21st century.

If you are a low-carber, then you'll be grinning from ear to ear as you read The True You Diet. Dr. Briffa delivers a solid message in an engaging fashion about many of the most fundamental truths that support low-carb living. His practical advice from years of treating patients arms you with knowledge you can rely on to help you stay committed to your permanent lifestyle change.


10. Hungry: Lessons Learned on the Journey from Fat to Thin by Allen Zadoff

What if your problem with weight had more to do with a deep hunger for meaning in the world rather than for that big slice of chocolate cake staring at you? Could our obesity not really have anything at all to do with calories, but rather attaining the hopes and dreams we don't even know we want yet? Deep questions like these are what Allen Zadoff explores in his book entitled Hungry.

After allowing his weight to get up to 350 pounds in his late 20s, Zadoff thought he knew why he got to be so big. It had to be a whole host of reasons--a slow metabolism, not enough willpower, a big appetite, a desire to be manly and eat that way, big boned, and it made him happy. But in the end, he wasn't happy and traveled down a path that led him to lose over 100 pounds while gaining a whole new perspective on life.

Hungry takes you down this road that Allen Zadoff took to shed the pounds and turn his world upside down. It's an inspiring story of hope for better tomorrow with behavioral methods concerning food that would intrigue a psychologist for weeks! And before you ask, his diet had very little to do with what kind of food he ate. That didn't matter to him (and he doesn't think it should matter to you).


11. Natural Health & Weight Loss by Dr. Barry Groves

Another of the very few loud voices speaking out on behalf of a high-fat, low-carb diet in the UK is Dr. Barry Groves. With Dr. Atkins no longer with us, Dr. Groves has taken up the torch and carried it boldly and proudly for all the world to see. He's convinced that fat is not the source of our weight and health troubles--CARBOHYDRATES ARE! That's the underlying conclusion he shares in his book Natural Health & Weight Loss.

After years of researching, studying, writing, lecturing, and, most importantly, LIVING the low-carb lifestyle, Dr. Groves has a lifetime of experiences to share about how eating fat to replace carbohydrate in our diet will keep your body healthy, fit, and lean when a high-carb, low-fat diet fails you. He says people should eat more real food if they want to ward off the diseases that afflict so many people these days, namely obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Of course, all of his claims are backed up by the research and his more than four decades of personal and professional experience. In fact, you can even check out this thread at my LowCarbDiscussion.com forum dedicated to people following Dr. Barry Groves for lots of support and assistance as you implement these principles into your life. Dr. Groves has even been known to pop in to make comments and answer questions from time to time, too. Natural Health & Weight Loss is a book that you'll be proud to own and I cannot encourage you enough to get it, love it, and then LIVE IT!


12. The Serotonin Power Diet: Use Your Brain's Natural Chemistry to Cut Cravings, Curb Emotional Overeating, and Lose Weight by Dr. Judith Wurtman and Nina Marquis

There are as many theories about why people get fat as there are stars in the sky and many of them have some merit in terms of having some kind of effect on obesity. Unfortunately, though, too often the actual CAUSE of weight and health problems is not addressed which is why the issue still remains.

I believe The Serotonin Power Diet by Dr. Judith Wurtman and Nina Marquis simply looks at an effect of weight and health rather than what is at the root of the issue. The premise of this book goes something like this: you feel down and depressed because the serotonin levels in your brain are reduce; raise your serotonin by eating foods that will increase it, then you will take care of your weight and health. Oh, if it were just that simple.

What's rudimentary here is the clear lack of respect for the research supporting the low-carb lifestyle by the authors. In a recent DietDetective.com column Dr. Wurtman claimed that saturated fat intake leads to the development of diabetes. HUH? Diabetes is caused by an overproduction of insulin that results from raise blood sugars brought on by consuming too many carbohydrates.

This is where there's a clear disconnect. Most of the foods on The Serotonin Power Diet are VERY high in carbs to try to lift your spirits. Check out this list: biscotti, cereal, cinnamon raisin bread, crackers, fig newtons, graham crackers, granola bars, marshmallows, pita bread, popcorn, pretzels, rice cakes, and waffles. Shall I go on? Do you see what ALL of those foods have in common--VERY HIGH IN CARBOHYDRATE!

Yes, they may make your serotonin levels go up, Dr. Wurtman, but the unpredictable blood sugar swings and constant hunger from the emptiness you feel from eating such a diet devoid of nutrients are why this diet would fail me miserably. Something tells me it would do the exact same thing to a bunch of other people, too. By the way, I've been eating a low-carb diet for four years and don't have ANY issues with being depressed or other side effects allegedly brought on by low serotonin levels. I wonder why that is, Dr. Wurtman? Any ideas?


13. Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes by Teresa Tapp and Barbara Smalley

In the 1980s, Olivia Newton John had a #1 hit single called "Let's Get Physical" and that exactly the motto that Teresa Tapp took on when she created her famous T-Tapp Workout routine as outlined in Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes. In just a few minutes a day, she gives you a full cardiovascular workout that doesn't require any equipment or joint-jarring movements. Actually, you'll probably have fun while you're exercising which will make it more successful than if you dreaded doing it!

This book provides you with all the instructions a busy mom or working professional needs to get in a good workout at the beginning of your day or after the kids have gone to bed. It's low-impact and will clear up virtually any and all issues you may have with pain and soreness in your body. T-Tapp offers real results really fast!

Teresa herself demonstrates the moves you need to get your body in shape and she provides real-life examples of people who have implemented T-Tapp into their life with amazing results. If the idea of exercise makes you want to run and scream in the other direction, then perhaps you should check out Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes for a nonthreatening alternative.


14. The Prayer Diet: The Unique Physical Mental and Spriritual Approach to Healthy Weight Loss by Dr. Matthew Anderson, D.Min.

I strongly believe in the power of prayer and credit it for helping me in my low-carb weight loss journey back in 2004. God gave me the strength to stay on plan even when I felt like giving up and He rewarded me with a 180-pound weight loss in just one year. So naturally I am supportive of anyone who wishes to implore the Almighty as part of their weight management plan.

The Prayer Diet espoused by Dr. Matthew Anderson is focused specifically on making prayer the central focus of your weight and health plan. By taking the focus off of food, your weight, the health problems you may be facing, and all those other issues that tend to dominate the discussion regarding your diet, Dr. Anderson shifts the focus to God where it belongs and His sovereignty to make the necessary changes in you to bring about weight loss.

If you're not a Christian, then you probably won't understand why this diet could possibly work for you. But any believer who trusts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior will tell you how essential prayer is to a healthy spiritual life. And The Prayer Diet simply extends this to your physical life, too. Specific prayers for yourself and others are included in the book to help guide you towards God's will regarding the weight and health of you and your loved ones.


15. Ending the Food Fight: Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food/Fake Food World by Dr. David Ludwig and Suzanne Rostler

Our most precious commodity in this world are our children and making sure they are eating properly is a challenging task to say the least. With fast food and junk food being dangled in front of them on television commercials and on the Internet using cartoon characters and clever marketing to appeal to them, it's literally a war out there--a "food fight" between parents and their kids about what to eat.

That's why pediatric physician Dr. David Ludwig wrote Ending the Food Fight because he wanted to show parents that it IS possible to feed your children healthy foods without having them pitch a fit. The 9-week OWL program that Dr. Ludwig uses with children all the time at the Children's Hospital Boston has a proven track record of helping even the most defiant, sugar-addicted kids to eat better. It's all found in this book!

You'll recall that Dr. Ludwig has published some research on "fatty liver" being a problem with eating too many carbohydrates, so he is certainly a proponent of livin' la vida low-carb based on what the science has shown him. And applying those principles to children makes sense to him which is the heartbeat of everything he does. If you are a parent, then you should own a copy of Ending the Food Fight.

Do you have a diet and/or health-related book you'd like for me to read and review? Please e-mail me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net with the details and I'd be happy to share my thoughts and comments about it with my readers.

LLVLC On YouTube (Episode 19): There's No Other Low-Carber Like Dana Carpender

Dana Carpender still reigns supreme in the low-carb community

When you stop and think about who the most influential voices in the low-carb community are in the mainstream of public health, only a handful of people come to mind. I mean people who have been out there in the trenches working to help change people's lives for the better with the positive and healthy message of low-carb living in the midst of a world that still believe the low-fat diet hung the moon.

Who pops in your mind on a short list of low-carb champions like this?

Immediately, I think of people like Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades from Protein Power who are some of the strongest and most consistent voices for livin' la vida low-carb on the planet. And Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of Living The Low-Carb Life and The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth, who is dedicated to getting people to eating less sugar and refined carbohydrates for the sake of their weight and health.

But one name sticks out above all the rest: Dana Carpender. If ever there was a more enthusiastic proponent of livin' la vida low-carb, I haven't met that person yet! Want some proof of this? Okay, no problem! Just go check out this post I wrote about a column by Carpender called "Take this low-fat diet and shove it!" You gotta love the gumption of that woman!

Then, earlier this year there was a fabulous study released by researchers from Stanford University and published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that found the Atkins diet was best for weight loss and health improvements among a list of popular diets, including the Zone diet, a high-carb, low-fat diet called LEARN, and the ultra-low-fat Ornish diet. The results of this study precipitated a unique discussion presented by Revolution Health which I shared on my podcast show in two parts here and here. Wanna hear classic Dana Carpender? Just take a listen to that audio and you'll see exactly what I mean!

For the sake of those who have never heard of her, Christine and I share about all of Dana's bestselling book in Episode 19 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube." Seriously, anyone who is living the low-carb lifestyle should be aware of who Dana Carpender is and they'll be a lot more familiar with her contributions to the low-carb community after watching our latest video. And pay a visit to her web site LowCarbohydrate.net sometime for more from Dana!

Allow me to introduce you to the one, the only Dana Carpender:



There were a bunch of books listed on that video, so here's a link to each:

- How I Gave Up My Low-Fat Diet and Lost 40 Pounds
- 500 Low-Carb Recipes
- 500 More Low-Carb Recipes
- 200 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes
- 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes
- The Low-Carb Barbecue Book
- Low-Carb Smoothies
- Every Calorie Counts Cookbook

Coming up in January, I'm going to give you a chance to win your very own Dana Carpender library with all of the books I featured in Episode 19. Additionally, I'll be featuring my review of each of these books, although I've already written a review for Every Calorie Counts. That's all coming up really soon, so keep reading for more information about this!

The winner of the THREE DOZEN EGGLAND'S BEST EGGS from the contest on Episode 17 was announced, so be sure to tune in to see if that winner was YOU! :) And leave your comments for Episode 19 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" to share what you think about Dana Carpender and her dazzling set of books to help you on your low-carb lifestyle change.

We're building up quite a listing of YouTube videos now, so be sure to go back and watch any of them you might have missed. We work hard to make these as entertaining and informative as possible on a wide variety of subjects pertaining to diet, health, nutrition, and practical low-carb living. Subscribe to our videos e-mail us your feedback at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. It's our pleasure to serve you and we look forward to continuing our videos for you in 2008. By the way, you'll be pleased to know "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" podcast will be returning in January. WOO HOO!