I’ve been honored to hear from countless laypeople who’ve shared their enthusiasm for How Not to Die, and high school students to graduate students—even professors—have told me they’ve used it as their go-to source for papers and lectures. Yes, I cite thousands of peer-reviewed papers from the scientific literature, but I didn’t want to just write a reference book. I also wanted to create a practical guide on translating this mountain of evidence into easy-to-make, day-to-day decisions, and that’s how I shaped the second half of the book. I center my recommendations around a Daily Dozen checklist of all the things I try to fit into my daily routine and encourage you to, as well.
And, yes: There’s an app for that. “Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen” is available as a free app for Android and iPhone. The app specifies serving sizes and can help you keep track of how you’re doing.
For my family, the Daily Dozen checklist has been a useful reminder to try to make each meal as healthful as possible. I was so heartened to find out that others found it helpful, too. I’ve gotten literally thousands of emails from people who excitedly tell me how many check marks they’re up to that day.
“I eat more cruciferous vegetables than I ever thought possible,” one woman told me, “and I never even knew the word cruciferous before!” Other people say that ground flaxseeds are now such a basic part of their life that they pack a containerful when they travel. Others tell me they’d never cooked with spices until they read the book, but now that they do, they not only reap the health benefits of turmeric, oregano, and the rest, but also find that their meals taste better than ever.
Lots of people have made it into a game. To get in all the servings I recommend, you have to tick off 24 checkboxes a day. People kept asking for meal plans and recipes to help them nail the Daily Dozen every day. I love hearing about all the creative ways readers have told me they are trying to incorporate things like beans and greens into breakfast, but many were left wondering how to shop for, prepare, and serve them. What they wanted, they said, was a cookbook.
So, here it is: The How Not to Die Cookbook. Its purpose is to give you recipes for meals that are delicious, nutritious, and, of course, help you include all of the Daily Dozen in your life as often as possible.
Centering your diet on the Daily Dozen should make it easier to stay healthy. Remember, eating is a zero-sum game. When you decide to eat one food, it means you are choosing not to eat another food. After all, there’s only so much you can consume in one day. So, whatever you choose has an opportunity cost.
That means every time you put something in your mouth, it’s a lost opportunity to invest in something healthier. Think of it this way: If you had $2,000 in the bank to spend on food, how would you want to use it? Would you lavish it on wonderful meals that let you check off most of the items on the Daily Dozen list? Or would you waste it on buckets of fried chicken and bags of Cheetos? I’d like to think that if you’ve picked up this book, you’d choose the former. In reality, you only have about 2,000 calories to “spend” each day, and each food choice determines whether you are spending them on something that enriches your health, or bankrupts it.
The recipes in this book will give you the opportunity to prepare meals that provide you with the most nutritional bang for your caloric buck. From Mango-Avocado-Kale Salad with Ginger-Sesame Orange Dressing to Black Bean Soup with Quinoa & Kale to Stuffed Portobellos with Herbed Mushroom Gravy, you will find recipes that make your mouth water and keep your body healthy.
NOTE: The Daily Dozen represents the twelve things I try to make part of my day, every day. This means anything from five servings of a healthy beverage to at least one serving each of berries, flaxseeds, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices. You will see a list at the end of each recipe telling you which of the Daily Dozen each recipe includes.
| √√√ | Beans |
| √ | Berries |
| √√√ | Other Fruits |
| √ | Cruciferous Vegetables |
| √√ | Greens |
| √√ | Other Vegetables |
| √ | Flaxseeds |
| √ | Nuts and Seeds |
| √ | Herbs and Spices |
| √√√ | Whole Grains |
| √√√√√ | Beverages |
| √ | Exercise |
Here is the Daily Dozen and the number of servings I recommend for each one. For years, I had this list on a little dry-erase board on our refrigerator. Feel free to cut this one out (or make your own copy) and do the same. It’s also useful to take with you when you go shopping to guide you through your healthiest choices. And remember, it’s just about doing your best. There are times, especially when I am traveling, that I only hit a quarter of my goals. When that happens, I just try to make up for it the next day. The same goes for you: if one day you only get a few of these foods into your diet, the next day, do your best to get more!