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Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease--and How to Fight It

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Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease--and How to Fight It Hardcover – July 21, 2020

by Benjamin Bikman (Author), Jason Fung (Foreword)

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2020 Foreword Indie Award Honorable Mention in the “Health” Category

A scientist reveals the groundbreaking evidence linking many major diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, to a common root cause—insulin resistance—and shares an easy, effective plan to reverse and prevent it.

We are sick. Around the world, we struggle with diseases that were once considered rare. Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes affect millions each year; many people are also struggling with hypertension, weight gain, fatty liver, dementia, low testosterone, menstrual irregularities and infertility, and more. We treat the symptoms, not realizing that all of these diseases and disorders have something in common.

Each of them is caused or made worse by a condition known as insulin resistance. And you might have it. Odds are you do—over half of all adults in the United States are insulin resistant, with most other countries either worse or not far behind.

In Why We Get Sick, internationally renowned scientist and pathophysiology professor Benjamin Bikman explores why insulin resistance has become so prevalent and why it matters. Unless we recognize it and take steps to reverse the trend, major chronic diseases will be even more widespread. But reversing insulin resistance is possible, and Bikman offers an evidence-based plan to stop and prevent it, with helpful food lists, meal suggestions, easy exercise principles, and more. Full of surprising research and practical advice, Why We Get Sick will help you to take control of your health.

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Popular Highlights in this book

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Most people with insulin resistance will ultimately die from heart disease or other cardiovascular complications; others will develop Alzheimer’s disease, breast or prostate cancers, or any number of other lethal diseases.

Highlighted by 1,353 Kindle readers
Type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. That is, type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance that has progressed to the point where the body is unable to keep blood glucose levels below the clinically relevant 126 mg/dL.

Highlighted by 1,156 Kindle readers
The switch is flipped when the fats and/or cholesterol are oxidized, which happens when oxidative stress is high.

Highlighted by 1,056 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

“What if, instead of all these conditions and disease being separate and unconnected, one physiological state—elevated insulin levels—was the driver of all this suffering? In Why We Get Sick, Benjamin Bikman unpacks the root cause of modern diseases and provides a concise road map to help you regain or maintain your health.”

—Robb Wolf, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

“This book is a unique, rigorous contribution to understanding insulin resistance as an underlying cause of chronic disease and aging. Well written and highly accessible, Dr. Bikman has written a book for both scientists and the average reader who seeks a path back to good health.”

—Nina Teicholz, science journalist and New York Times bestselling author of The Big Fat Surprise

“It’s time to make ‘insulin resistance’ part of the public lexicon. That so many people are unaware of this widespread condition with serious ramifications is a monumental problem, and it’s one that Why We Get Sick sets out to solve.”

—Dr. Aseem Malhotra, cardiologist and professor of evidence-based medicine

“Thoroughly researched and extensively documented, Why We Get Sick is a comprehensive and indispensable primer on insulin resistance and how it affects virtually every system in the body. Dr. Bikman presents not only an easy-to-understand guide to how and why insulin resistance develops, but a treatment handbook as well.”

—Michael R. Eades, MD, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Protein Power

“Insulin resistance underpins nearly every single chronic disease that we struggle with today and ultimately costs us countless billions of dollars in health-care spending, as well as an untold amount of human suffering. Professor Ben Bikman masterfully lays out the role of insulin resistance in disease, how it affects our bodies, and, most important, how to fix it!”

—Shawn Baker, MD, author of The Carnivore Diet and CEO of MeatRx.com

“Bikman’s sweeping summary of the science of human metabolism makes the ironclad case for insulin resistance as Public Health Enemy #1. Whether the reader is interested in losing excess body fat, optimizing brain function, preventing heart disease, reducing cancer risk, or improving fertility—this expert curation of the research leaves no stone unturned.”

—Georgia Ede, MD, nutritional psychiatrist

About the Author

Benjamin Bikman earned his PhD in Bioenergetics and was a postdoctoral fellow with the Duke-National University of Singapore studying metabolic disorders. Currently, his professional focus as a scientist and professor (Brigham Young University) is to better understand the origins and consequences of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes, with a particular emphasis on the role of insulin. He frequently publishes his research in peer-reviewed journals and presents at international science and public meetings.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ BenBella Books (July 21, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 194883698X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1948836982
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.01 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #33,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #129 in Medical Diseases (Books)
- #496 in Diseases & Physical Ailments Health

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4.8 3,618 ratings

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Benjamin Bikman

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Benjamin Bikman earned a Ph.D. in Bioenergetics at East Carolina University with a focus on the adaptations to metabolic surgeries in obesity. He continued to explore metabolic disorders, with a particular focus on insulin resistance, as a postdoctoral fellow with the Duke-National University of Singapore. As a professor at Brigham Young University and the director of its Diabetes Research Lab, Dr. Bikman has continued to study insulin, including its role as a regulator of human metabolism, as well as insulin’s relevance in chronic disease. In addition to his research and teaching, Dr. Bikman actively serves as a research mentor to undergraduate and graduate students. He and his students frequently present and publish their findings.

He lives with his family in Provo, Utah.

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Jennifer

simple and effective explanation

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024

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I am completely new to the low carb world but needed to learn it for my high insulin. Dr Bikman is the most knowledgeable and educated source I have found. I am a member of his website but also wanted to buy the book to explain it all. The book is excellent. It lays everything out in a readable, easy to understand format. He also brings receipts for all of the statistics that he shares.love the book, love him, and happy to have found him to improve my health.

6 people found this helpful

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Sean

A great source of information!

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024

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What an amazing book. Very informative, very easy to understand and overall packed with knowledge.
Dr Bikman explains insuline resistance as a disease, but also give us the tools on how to fix it.

4 people found this helpful

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Ken Leon-Guerrero

This book is the Human Body Owners Manual

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021

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Knowledge is power. We get fat and sick one bite at a time,and this book tells us why, and with that knowledge we can act with intention.

Today is my 67th Birthday! Yay ME, I made it; which is a big and welcome surprise when I think back to all the people I know that didn't make it this far; most of them dying early because of metabolic diseases like cancer, cardiac disease, diabetes or hypertension.

Through the decisions we make, we get sicker or healthier. It is all a choice we all make three to six times a day.

November 2019, I had reasons to be concerned that I wouldn't. I was a Type 2 Diabetic with high blood pressure and very long list of chronic medical conditions my doctors were telling me were a "natural progression of getting older."

December 2019, my wife and I went on the Covid-19 weight loss program and I lost 20 pounds in five weeks (I do not recommend that program for losing weight). In March of 2020 we changed from "counting calories" on a mostly vegetarian diet, to eating a low carb/healthy fat diet; and as the numbers show, the rest was history.

The journey getting from there to here took a lot of control, because old habits die hard. But along the way I learned getting healthier is worth it. I feel better. I walk better. I sleep better. My mind is clearer, and I have energy levels that amaze me.

I made this journey one decision at a time. At every point of action we make a decision. We will either make a good decision or a bad decision. Sometimes we know what kind of decision we made right away - putting bobby pin in electrical outlet lesson learned right away. Sometimes we don't know if it was a good or bad decision for a long time - if ever. Bucking a seat belt when we get into a car is an example of a lesson that does not happen instantly, and may never be learned.

When you take time to read the owners manual for your body (WHY WE GET SICK by Dr. Benjamin Bikman) you can start making better decisions about how you fuel your body that have both short term and long term impact on your health.

Just as our food choices are the poisons that kills us slowly, they are also the medicines that can health faster than any pill a doctor can prescribe.

When you eat breakfast, knowing that eating the toast and hash browns is sticking the bobby pin into the electrical outlet, and avoiding them is putting on the seat belt, you can make a better decision.

When you eat lunch, having a burger, french fries and soda is sticking the bobby pin into electrical outlet, and having a "bunless burger" with a side salad and dressing, with a unsweetened iced tea is putting on the seat belt, you can make a better decision.

When you eat dinner, a plate of pasta noodles with garlic bread is sticking the bobby pin in the electrical outlet, and a plate of zucchini noodles with fathead dough garlic cheese bread is putting on the seat belt, you can make a better decision.

Over time making better decisions leads to better numbers. Better numbers lead to better health. The numbers in the table below are the numbers that are part of every medical check up I go through as I track my progression deeper into this lifestyle. Anyone who is working on improving their health is probably tracking these numbers as well, or should be.

EGL: Estimated Glucose Level
A1C: Standard Glucose Test
TRI: Triglycerides - Inflammation Indicator
HDL: The "good cholesterol"
LDL: The mistakenly called "bad cholesterol"
CHLS: Total cholesterol - a number I now don't care about
Weight: The number we obsess way too much about
BMI: A number we should obsess more about - percentage of body fat

328 people found this helpful

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Laura J. Rogers

Excellent Read

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024

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This book is so full of relevant information regarding Insulin Resistance! Who knew it affected so many diseases? I will be sharing this with friends & family!

5 people found this helpful

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Scott Mofford

Cherry picked footnotes

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2024

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Although the book is well written and easy to read, it only took one footnote in particular that I researched to change my opinion on the book. Particularly blaming glucosamine for making insulin resistance worse. This was an in vitro study only. Several studies on humans have shown that glucosamine either slightly improves insulin resistance, or there is no change at all. It’s a shame when you buy a book on a topic such as insulin resistance and the author strays from hard facts by not thoroughly researching. It’s diminishes the other findings that might very well be true, but makes it harder to believe. Bottom line, do your own research. But on the whole I really like the book. Great references in the back for foods that are low on glycemic index and help with insulin resistance as well as some other great information. I would recommend it. But again do your own research.

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get an insulin test

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024

Verified Purchase

This book is extremely well written and informative. It's a big help for those of us who have had to become our own doctor to seek out root causes and natural solutions....well, because someone's got to do it.

I asked for an insulin test from my doctor but he wouldn't do it because "we don't have a code for that". I really appreciate that I can now order my own blood tests! I leave insurance companies out of my health care.

44 people found this helpful

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Kelvin Nunley

Dr. Bikman-Fabulous, Informative, Educational!

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024

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This book is an absolute must read for all adults. I found the reading excellent in understanding what insulin resistance is and how damaging it can be to the human body. You will not be disappointed by this book but you will be enlightened, encouraged and motivated to move yourself to action. Empowering!

5 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Most important book you can read for your health!

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024

Verified Purchase

If you don’t learn how to reverse Insulin Resistance you can’t stay healthy. Dr. Bikman explains the issues, explains why they are issues, what will happen if it’s not reversed and how to reverse them. The lust a disease’s caused is scary and deadly. READ THE BOOK. The health of your family is in your hands!

2 people found this helpful

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Student

Incredible book

Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2023

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I rarely write reviews but in this case I just had to do it. This is one of the books I would call A MUST HAVE in every home , every person regardless of their health situation or their education should read it! The book is brilliant in so many ways. The author explains various complex processes in the body in a very simple way, there is no need to have a degree in chemistry or biology to understand the content. On the other hand the information in this book is supported by solid evidence that is valuable for health professionals who want to read this book. In addition this book actually offers solutions, and gives lots of hope to those who have lost it after so many years of fighting with various chronic diseases. Just buy this book, this is a true invaluable gift that you can give yourself and your family !

4 people found this helpful

Richard

Amazing book!

Reviewed in Mexico on February 20, 2023

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Excellent explanation about insuline resistance, cause, and tips to put in practice. I really loved this book. I highly recommend it! You do not need to be a doctor :) . Enjoy it!

Misty J

Importantísimo

Reviewed in Spain on May 18, 2024

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El libro que todo el mundo debería leer.

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Roli Tiwari

Such a nice book

Reviewed in India on November 19, 2023

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Learned so many new things

One person found this helpful

Daniela

Ottimo acquisto

Reviewed in Italy on August 9, 2023

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Testo ben scritto e utilissimo.

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