Read 'n' Seed 3: Second quarter of the China Study

In this quarter of the book I covered chapters 5-10 and pages 109-222.

The first chapter covered in this section focuses on heart disease in America.  The main points that stand out was the cultures that have lower heart disease rates also eat less saturated fat and animal protein and more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  There were a few studies conducted that tried to alter heart disease in some patients by having them eat less fat and cholesterol.  The results were that the group of people who starved off their disease by eating less animal foods and more plant foods lived longer and the other group of people who didn't change their diet after already having a heart attack died.  This study suggests that the more animal protein you eat, the more heart disease you have.  In this chapter it is also talked about surgery and all that technology has helped with in the area of diagnosing and helping diseases, but is it truly helping or just covering up the problem? (As opposed to diet and prevention).  It is said that we not only know how to prevent heart disease, but also how to successfully treat it.  Not by surgeries that are dangerous, costly, and do not cover up the serious problems, but we've held the answer in our hands for a long time- eating the right food.

The next two chapters cover obesity and diabetes.  Many of us already know the complications from both.  It is talked about how both of these can be prevented and cured with eating a whole foods and plant-based diet, and with exercising.  We are given studies that prove the healing affects of food and lifestyle changes that can reduce the rate of diabetes.  So many of us are given misinformation and have habits that we aren't willing to change.  Imagine if we were educated on the facts and were willing to make moderate lifestyle changes- the outcome would be incredible.

Cancers (breast, prostate, colon, and rectal) are discussed as well.  With breast cancer we are given the risk factors and what increases these factors, such as a diet high in animal foods and carbohydrates.  Women who consume this type of diet hit puberty earlier and have menopause later, and this extends their reproductive years.  This also means that they have higher levels of female hormones.  According to the China Study data lifetime exposure to estrogen is 2.5-3 times higher among Western women than with women in China.  And according to one of the leading breast cancer research groups, there is overwhelming evidence that suggests that estrogen levels are a critical determinant of breast cancer risk- all the more reason to consume a plant-based and whole foods diet.  Environmental chemicals may also be a cause in disrupting hormones and maybe even cause Type 2 diabetes.  With colorectal cancer rates, they vary hugely between countries.  This seems to be because of environmental factors as well, such as diet.  Fiber is believed to be one of the main cures for preventing colon cancer.

In the final two chapters it is talked about autoimmune diseases and what many of them have in common, such as often happening in the same person or are found in the same population.  It is trying to be found as to why they happen in some ethnic and geographic areas and not in others and what causes them.  It is then talked about bone, kidney, eye, and brain diseases.  Once again it is said that a plant-based diet can prevent a broad range of these diseases.

This was a lot of information to take in.  The main point that I got from all of this was that people need to start taking charge of their diet and lifestyle.  There are so many diseases that surround all of us and we need to do all that we can in PREVENTING instead of only treating.  The public needs to be more informed on what can be done in bettering our health.  We should all care about these issues because it is our health and our lives.