Our society has evolved to a level of economic sophistication that allows us to eat ourselves to death. A diet centered on milk, cheese, pasta, bread, fried foods and sugar-filled snacks and drinks lays the groundwork for obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune disease. Although these foods are certainly harmful, that is not the whole problem. The other important issue is what we are not eating. When we evaluate the standard American diet, we find the calories coming from phytochemical-rich foods, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, intact whole grains, raw nuts and seeds are less than 13 percent of the total caloric intake. This dangerously low intake of unrefined plant foods guarantees weakened immunity to disease, frequent illnesses and a shorter life span. Until we address this deficiency, we will never win the war on cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other degenerative diseases. "
Eat to Live Cookbook: 180 Delicious Nutrient-Rich Recipes for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Reversing Disease, and Lifelong Health," by Joel Fuhrman, MD