A friend gave me "UltraMetabolism" by Mark Hyman, M.D. to read. We are both interested in nutrition, weight-loss (if you look at us you'd wonder either why or that we are very successful at it)and now that we are entering our 50's, we are interested in food plans that will aid in extending our "later years" without compromising are love of food. We both also live with various forms of inflammations. It was with great relish, please forgive the pun, that I opened the spine of this book.

Dr. Hyman has a very simple plan which includes very healthy nutritional plans. Now I may have made that statement due to the fact that at the end of the book, I realized that with the exception of my fanatical love of coffee, I have used his plan as my nutritional mantra most of my life. So of course, I agree with the food plan, recipes, shopping lists and ideas.

Basically, the author promotes a mediterranean diet: whole grains, buy and serve organic groceries as much as possible, eat fresh, use healthy fats, cut out white and processed foods, etc...

The author starts out by explaining his simple plan for automatic weight loss by explaining what he feels are the seven myths that make you gain weight: 1-starving yourself. This actually throws off your metabolism from burning off unneeded calories because it begins to think you are starving yourself and therefore slows down it's natural process.

2 and 3-all calories are the same and all fats are bad. Not so, high-fiber and lean proteins will help maintain sugar levels and make you feel much more full for a longer period of time. Fats work the same, some will aid in clearing arteries/maintaining heart health, others will contribute to their demise.

4-low carb is best. Bodies need fuel, denying this will upset the body's balance.

5-skipping meals helps. He points out that Sumo wrestlers tend to skip meals and then gorge themselves every chance they can, which in effect, ties in to #1.

6 & 7- The French are thin because the drink wine and eat lots of fatty foods. No the French have learned to relax and enjoy their meals the way, unfortunately most Americans don't. They talk, spend time and this gives their bodies the chance to realize that they've had enough to eat.

Hyman goes on to give his seven keys to successful weight loss, you simply cannot call them secrets-they are as plain as day and we've all heard them numerous times. His whole foods approach is also a plan based mainly on common sense. He also doesn't waste a chance to remind us that exercise, even a simple walk at a regular pace can only help the metabolism and the general health of any breathing human.

He has several interesting tests to help you figure out how to lower your inflammations (which he says contributes with stress to weight gain), help break your bad habits and then how to "clean out the kitchen" to detox and start to a new and better way of living. I do like his inclusion of his own patient case studies. Probably anyone reading the text will find themselves in part or whole in at least one story.

In conclusion, I enjoyed finding out that according to the author, I'm eating an extremely good diet for a person who has a great deal of stress and inflammation in her life. I wish I could see me taking that one extra step and give up my morning caffeine, but alas-even the good must have at least one vice.