This book shines light on, well, light. The
authors literally want America to turn off its lights. These sentences best sum up the book’s
central theme:
“As a nation, we are
sick because we don’t sleep. We are fat
and diabetic because we don’t sleep. We are dying from cancer and heart disease
because we don’t sleep”.
“If you sleep at night
for the number of hours it would normally be dark outside, you will only crave
sugar in the summer, when the hours of light are long. It is the “perennial adaptation” or the
chronic, constant intent to hibernate, that causes overconsumption of
carbohydrates and obesity and its attendant high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, and inevitable heart failure”
I loved this book because the authors never attempted diplomacy
when addressing man-made diseases. If
you are obese or if you are a vegetarian or if you think fake sugar will help
you lose weight or if you still think that carbs are important (year-round) you
will be set straight. You will be served
the real dope - unceremoniously, emphatically, and with a touch of hyperbole. I
wasn’t surprised to learn that the book was first published in 2000; the author’s
blunt instrument delivery (which I found refreshing and amusing) can now only
be found in red state/blue state polemics (which I do not find amusing). The authors of this book are not afraid to
step on your toes to make a point.
The book is well-researched with almost 100 pages of end
notes. I always like to see that and it
is especially appreciated in a book that makes Big claims, as this one does.
I do think the authors get side-tracked a few times on the
basic nutritional advice (eat more fat and protein, few carbs, and no added
sugar, whatsoever). I happen to agree
with all of that stuff, but I am somewhat new to the perils of 24 hour light
made possible with electricity and made much worse with electronic
intrusions. I would have preferred more
about the cost of progress…you know, the “What
have we lost?” aspect. I don’t mind when my laptop does context
switching, or when my 14 year-old does context switching in a casual conversation,
but I’m not crazy about it in my books.
This was a good book with a ton of very useful information
for how to live a better, more healthful life.
