The China Study is a ground-breaking analysis of more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease. The author is Dr. Colin Campbell, PhD, (with Thomas M. Campbell II) who started his work more than 20 years ago, looking for correlations between disease (heart disease, cancer and diabetes) and what we eat.
The overwhelming amount of research and work that went into this book means it's not an easy read. You will have to think when you pick this book up - that's not a bad thing, but don’t pick up this book expecting to find the newest and greatest nutrition advice from Suzanne Sommers. This book has been a monumental undertaking and is 417 pages, including index.
We are inundated with information about what is good for us and what is bad for us. Most of the time it just depends on nothing more than who is funding the study. Back when big tobacco corporations were losing their grip on the American cigarette market, they actually funded studies to say that smoking was good for your health. While we wouldn’t fall for that marketing scam today, we are still being blasted with information that’s just as bogus. Part of the problem is that we don’t know what’s true and what isn’t because it’s not as in-your-face or obvious as “smoking is good for your health.” The marketing ploys of today are more subtle and far-reaching.
Take lycopene: Dr. Campbell talks about the industry’s love of “tinkering” with what nature is providing us, using lycopene as an example.
Lycopene is found in tomatoes and is considered good as a prostrate cancer preventative. What the industry then did was forget that the start of the lycopene craze was about tomatoes and they started turning and twisting the information to suit their marketing and sales goals.
“As of this writing, there now are 1,361 (!) scientific publications on lycopene cited by the National Library of Medicine. A major market is developing, with trade names like Lycopene 10 Cold Water Dispersion and LycoVit 10% to be used as food supplements,” writes Dr. Cambpell. He goes on to explain why lycopene may or may not actually prevent anything and that isolating lycopene from the actual food is not the answer to our problems.
The reason “industry” messes with anything and everything though it money. They find something “new and exciting” and they run with it. They package it wrapped in the fear of cancer and then they sit back and take in millions. And Americans can’t seem to get enough of it.
Article comments
1 - Henk Mutsaers
It's a shame that health organisation and most media don't publish about the findings in the China Study.
2 - Kelly Jad'on
Ms.Clemons,
Great Review! Some of the book reviews I've completed have discussed various aspects of The China Study. I value your opinion.
3 - MaryAnna Clemons
Thank you both for your comments. I agree, it is a shame that our media is so narrow minded when it comes to the information they will feed us.
Best, M.A.
4 - Dave Wheitner
Thanks so much for this review, and for raising a good question! I agree that vaccines are clearly an important health related topic, and my guess as to why it wasn't included in "The China Study" is because the focus of the book is upon our food consumption habits. The large body of evidence cited revolves around the important question of how what we eat impacts our health--embedded in this core topic is a small section devoted to how diet counters *some* environmental toxins. It would be interesting to see whether individuals raised on the type of diets supported by the book's evidence (e.g., free of animal-derived proteins, rich in whole grains and leafy greens, etc.) have a lower incidence of the types of conditions correlated with vaccine ingredients in question. Entire articles or additional books could likely be written on that. The focus of this book, however, is upon our food consumption--something that each of us has the power to change immediately in our everyday lives, and something that clearly makes a significant difference in human health. In my opinion, trying to cover *too* broad a field in the book would simply leave the audience feeling frustrated, disempowered, and uncertain how to take action. This book, with the assistance of some of the evidence you've highlighted, provides an actionable starting point for all of us.
5 - MaryAnna Clemons
Wonderful points Dave, thank you for taking the time to comment!
MaryAnna
6 - Abby
i love this book i just stated reaing it but a freind recommended it and its great!!!