How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease

Chapter 8 discusses the prevention of liver diseases, focusing on the role of diet and lifestyle. Greger begins with a powerful anecdote about a patient who died from liver cirrhosis caused by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to obesity. The chapter emphasizes the liver’s critical role in filtering toxins from the bloodstream and how poor dietary choices, particularly excessive consumption of alcohol, sugar, and unhealthy fats, can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. Greger highlights the rising prevalence of NAFLD in the US, which affects millions, largely due to the Western diet. He also explores the dangers of viral hepatitis and the potential risks associated with consuming pork products contaminated with the hepatitis E virus. The chapter concludes by advocating for plant-based diets rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and specific protective foods like cranberries, oatmeal, and coffee to maintain liver health and prevent liver diseases.

Greger discusses the prevention of blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, through dietary and lifestyle changes. Greger begins with a story about a young leukemia patient, highlighting the emotional and human impact of these diseases. Blood cancers, which often originate in the bone marrow, are particularly deadly, with multiple myeloma being considered incurable.