Dilithium is a Girl’s Best Friend by Neil Bryant - Short Story Review

Oh!  What fun.

Harry Mudd, ladies and gentlemen, gets his hands on the Genesis Device.

This idea will perk up life-long fans of Star Trek.

The thing I like best about the written universe of Star Trek is the ability to play around with characters and ideas.

Not only did the author pick a popular character but he made the focus of the story be a less known one, that of Eve McHuron, one of "Mudd's Women" from the original TV series.

The plot was terrific, Bryant took the MacGuffin from the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn and put it in the hands of Eve.  This is precisely when Mudd shows up to make a deal for the device.

The story was fast-paced and there was some welcomed humour throughout.  It's the humour that makes Star Trek work because it brings the characters to life.  The author had a nice light touch with it and never made it come across as campy.

In any case, I liked the story and it was a terrific opening to the whole collection.

The End of Dieting by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. - Book Report #209

To be honest there is not much new here that wasn't covered in Eat for Health.

What I did like about this version is how the book was laid out and presented in simpler way to understand.

Dr. Fuhrman also expanded the nutritional information that had to be taken on faith in Eat for Health.  In this book he goes into greater depth to explain what each nutrient does for the body. He also explains why it is better to cook some foods while raw is best for others.

One of the most convincing parts of the book is how he breaks down some of the most popular diets and explains the limitations and dangers of each one.

Dr. Fuhrman promotes eating a balanced diet, one rich in plant-based nutrients.  He never comes out against eating animal products but you can certainly see how a vegetarian, near-vegan or vegan diet fits snugly into his research.

If you haven't quite bought into his eating plan this book may help to convince you.

I do like that Dr. Fuhrman never comes out to say that you should follow his plan to the letter.  He asks only that you try to incorporate the parts that interest you the most.  By dipping in your toe you can still benefit simply by introducing more nutrients into your body.

Good nutrition comes by replacing the processed foods with fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables, beans and legumes.

I have already benefited from the plan.  I know this because, when I indulge in processed foods, I can feel the difference.  Sometimes I even get a low-grade hangover the next day.  It is surprising.

Recommended.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D. website - https://www.drfuhrman.com/

Dr. Joel Fuhrman

The Food Revolution by John Robbins - Book Report #208

Originally published in 2001 this was the updated 10th anniversary edition.

I won't lie about the book - I did not finish reading it.  I didn't have to. I couldn't read on.

I am already convinced about the health benefits of a vegan diet.  I was intrigued by the profound impact of a meat-based diet on the environment.  But once the book got into the animal welfare and cruelty of modern factory farming I couldn't take it anymore.

I stopped reading right there.  Not only did I find the treatment of the animals deplorable but it made me sick just to be human.  Our ability to be cruel is profoundly depressing to me.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that it is important to get the word out about our farming methods.  It's just that I could not stomach the knowledge.

That said this was the book that committed me to leading a better life by choosing to eat things that give me the best nutrition and the least impact on the environment.

The first question people ask is, where do you get your protein?  Well, it turns out we are getting far too much as it is and that there is plenty of it in plants and in the right proportions that you need not worry.

I've been on an nearly vegan diet for almost a year and I have seen the benefits already.  My blood pressure is down, cholesterol too.  And I've dropped 20 pounds.

I liked that the book looked into the complete impact of eating.

Even if you are not moved to make a change after reading it, you will come away from it with a deeper understanding of our food.

The Food Revolution Network - https://foodrevolution.org/

John Robbins website - https://www.johnrobbins.info/

John Robbins

What Happened to the Girl? By Wade Bell - Short Story Review

I liked this one.

It was a one-sided transcript of a police interrogation.  I enjoyed the back and forth between the suspect and the investigator 

The only thing that made this SF was the points system.  Which gave the setting a darkness that could have been right at home in the Blade Runner movie. 

Well crafted and fun. 

Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. - Book Report #207

I went back to my old way of eating and gained the weight back that I had lost in 2016.

I had my yearly physical looming in September so I decided to get back to healthy eating.  This was back in the spring of this year.  I dusted off my old copy of Eat for Health and decided to re-read it.  This time I was ruthless with the book; I dog-eared and highlighted everything that was important to know and I dug into the recipes at the back of the book.

In the same way that I discovered Dr. Fuhrman's book I pursued my interest in health using this book as my launch pad.  I took what I learned the first time I read the book and applied it with more determination than the previous time.  In '16 I was really just trying to lose some weight and not really trying to change my life permanently.

Now that I was back where I started and feeling ill, I decided the change would be permanent.  This is when I realised that Eat for Health is really just the first step.  Through the spring and summer I began to lose the weight again and started to feel better.

By researching the Standard North American diet I discovered just how much stress eating meat can put on the body and how many conditions, that are associated with being middle-aged, are actually caused by the food we eat.  It was surprising.

From there I found my way into the world of industrial farming, which was hinted at by the book Real Food, Fake Food.  When I discovered how farming has changed in the past 50 years and how it has affected the quality of the meat and the lives of the cattle, well, I was repulsed.

By the end of the summer I was at a weight that I was confident to see my doctor in.  But I wanted to do more to change my diet and I decided that, while I was on vacation I would switch to a vegetarian diet.

When I returned to work I had actually lost a little bit of weight.  The doctor's appointment came and I had improved on all the metrics; blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and of course weight.

I owe all this to Eat for Health and the doors it has opened for me.

Not only highly recommended but it has become a reference book in my home.  I go to many of the recipes regularly.  It is always in sight.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Frosty by Jason Kapalka - Short Story Review

A fun twist on an “origin” story of Frosty the Snowman.

Dark and funny. 

It would make an interesting story to tell around Christmas. 

On-Spec Magazine is still around:  https://onspecmag.wordpress.com/