Books

In Farmacology, Daphne Miller brings us beyond the simple concept of “food as medicine” and introduces us to the critical idea that it’s the farm where that food is grown that offers us the real medicine. Venturing out of her clinic and spending time on seven family farms, Miller uncovers all the aspects of farming—from seed choice to soil management—that have a direct and powerful impact on our health. Bridging the traditional divide between agriculture and medicine, Miller shares lessons learned from inspiring farmers and biomedical researchers and artfully weaves their insights and discoveries, along with stories from her patients, into the narrative. The result is a compelling new vision for sustainable healing and a treasure trove of farm-to-body lessons that have immense value in our daily lives.

Why do the relatively poor native populations in Mexico and Africa have such low levels of the chronic diseases that plague the United States?

Why is the rate of seasonal affective disorder in Iceland—a country where dreary weather is the norm—so low?

Why is it that older women in Okinawa have such low breast cancer rates that it is not considered cost-effective for them to get screening mammograms?

The Jungle Effect has the life-changing answers to these important questions, and many more.

Whether it’s the heart-healthy Cretan diet, with its reliance on olive oil and fresh vegetables, the anti-depressive Icelandic diet and its extremely high levels of omega-3s, the age-defying Okinawa diet and its emphasis on vegetables and fish, or the other diets explored herein, everyone who reads this book will come away with the secrets of a longer, healthier life and the recipes necessary to put those secrets into action. The Jungle Effect is filled with inspiring stories from Dr. Miller’s patients, quirky travel adventures, interviews with world-renowned food experts, delicious (yet authentic) indigenous recipes, and valuable diet secrets that will stick with you for a lifetime.