Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Disclosure: I perused this book, but did not read cover to cover. I have a law degree and science background. I am health conscious. I have a normal BMI, exercise regularly (5 days a week), and eat lots of bread and fruit. I also have a low sugar count. I avoid desserts and processed food. From what I did read and have read about this book, the premise of this book is to not eat grain and avoid gluten. The claim is that gluten and grains destroy the brain, causes dementia, and eventually kills you. This is junk science and dangerous to many (in my opinion). I also believe Dr. Perlmutter knows that to be the case, and unfortunately, like many medical doctors make claims on health to sell books. Dr. Perlmutter is not a researcher and did not perform research to support the claims in his book from what I can tell. He further does not possess any specialized ability to understand the medical studies beyond other reasonably educated individuals. Anyone considering Dr. Perlmutter's claims and this book, I suggest that you read his interview on Medscape in January 2014. According to his interview on Medscape, the basis for his claims in this book are largely a New England Journal of Medicine Study (NEJ Study) that found that individuals with dementia typically have higher blood sugar. The NEJ Study, however, does not say high blood sugar causes dementia; only Dr. Perlmutter does. A reason that the NEJ Study may not be able to make that claim is because many people with high sugar counts do not have dementia. The danger of this book is that if you avoid gluten, you may avoid many of the necessary vitamins and fiber found in foods with gluten. In the Medscape interview from literally last week, Dr. Perlmutter discloses that what he is really saying is to avoid carbohydrates and that because gluten turns to carbohydrates and sugar, that is to be avoided. Avoiding sugar is good. Science supports that conclusion. However, to make this blanket statement to avoid all gluten and carbohydrates is dangerous. Dr. Perlmutter's book is a repackaged Atkins' diet. Dr. Atkins, the year before he died, in only his early 70s had a heart attack. Dr. Atkins' BMI was also in the overweight, or obese range, at the time of his death depending upon the source. It was not in the normal weight range. I suggest that anyone considering Dr. Perlmutter's opinions to look critically at whether the studies back them up. Dr. Perlmutter's claims are only as good as the supporting research. In the legal world, medical and other "experts" have their opinions thrown out as inadmissible for not being backed up by scientific studies despite their otherwise possessing the qualifications as an "expert". In the Medscape interview from January 2014, Dr. Perlmutter admits that he is extrapolating a conclusion from a NEJ study that does not really say what he claims that it does. Medscape is for the medical community, and when being interviewed in that context, Dr. Perlmutter is speaking to the medical community. Anyone considering this book and Dr. Perlmutter's claims in his book - I suggest reading his interview from January 2014 in Medscape. When I read that interview, I realized this is another junk science book designed to be a best seller. You might also then read the U.S. Supreme Court case involving Daubert to understand that people with "expert" qualifications will sometimes make claims that cannot be supported. In my personal view, I believe one should avoid sugars and processed foods - but to avoid all gluten containing foods, when many gluten containing foods contain important nutrients is dangerous in my view and does not appear to be supported by the medical literature from what I can tell and from reading Dr. Perlmutter's own interview on Medscape.