Steven R. Gundry, MD, a distinguished heart disease physician, researcher, and inventor, has successfully treated tens of thousands of patients with the Plant Paradox Program (PPP) or Keto Plant Paradox Intensive Care Program—nutritional treatments he created. He has also helped patients suffering from diseases other than heart disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, dementia, type 1 diabetes, kidney failure, obesity, Crohn's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease. One of his patients was only 13 years old and another was an ancient 95.Some people could benefit from Dr. Gundry's diet without having to consult with him or a physician who uses his approach. I'm an example. I began transitioning into his diet three months ago. I now have more energy and more restful sleep. The pain in my knees almost disappeared and the pain in my left hip is greatly improved. I look forward to more improvements in my 86-year-old body. I love the PPP!After about 30 days, I suffered from bouts of burping and farting for about ten days—symptoms caused by withdrawing from my unhealthy diet and starting a healthy one. I'm OK now.I was surprised by some facts from the book. Vegetables that are bad for human health: peas, sugar snap peas, green beans, chickpeas, all lentils, all beans (including sprouts). Grains that are also bad: wheat, white rice, brown rice, wild rice, barley, corn, spelt, oats, rye, kamut, etc. There are grain-fed cows and grass-fed cows, and the grain-fed ones yield beef that is much worse for peoples' health. There is a list of healthy foods and one for unhealthy foods. The book is saturated with potentially life-changing nutritional and health facts.One way to view this book is as Dr. Gundry's prescription for people interested in being as healthy as possible. However, his remedy has "side effects," which I believe are important for potential followers of PPP to know. Here's one I encountered. I prefer to buy frozen meals and freshly-prepared delicatessen items than to prepare them. Unfortunately, almost all of these items contain one or more bad ingredients. For example, I checked all of the salad dressings in two health food stores and couldn't find an acceptable one. I then experimented with ordering a bottle of salad dressing from an online store. It was delicious but cost twice as much as best-selling dressings. Adding to the high price of the dressing was a shipping fee of $8.95.Other side effects: Food grown without pesticides costs more than food grown with them. Pastured chickens cost more than conventionally-raised ones. Cows that are grass-fed and grass-finished yield beef that costs more than standard beef. Some of his recommended foods are only available from specialty grocers, which would be too far away for some people. Others would be uncomfortable about buying groceries online. Unfortunately, some interested people are unlikely to start or continue the PPP because of the cost and inconvenience.Good news: Patricia suggests ways to economize (from her Comment on her 04/27/2017 review). Examples: "No need to buy salad dressings, since you can just use olive oil or avocado oil and balsamic vinegar, and add, say, garlic powder, paprika, dried basil and chives." "Buying a pressure cooker to make them [legumes] safe to eat would pay for itself; beans are so inexpensive, and can replace more of the expensive pastured, grass-fed, and wild-caught animal proteins." "Make omega-3 eggs a large percentage of the animal protein you get - fortunately these are more and more available at supermarkets for about $5 a dozen, sometimes even less." A cola beverage "can be simulated pretty well by putting just enough liquid stevia drops into a good sparking mineral water or seltzer water."More bad news: Avoid sugar, agave, Splenda, NutraSweet, Sweet 'n Low, cows' milk, diet drinks, maltodextrin. Don't eat cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, squashes, melons, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, chili peppers, goji berries. Avoid pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, peanuts, cashews. Don't use these oils: soy, grape seed, sunflower, safflower, canola, etc.More good news: His list of healthy foods is longer than his list of unhealthy ones. Some excerpts: grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb; humanely raised pork; wild game; pastured chicken, turkey, duck; pastured or omega-3 eggs; wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Alaskan halibut, freshwater bass, shrimp, crab; red wine (6 oz./day); goat cheese; coconut yogurt; broccoli; brussels sprouts; cauliflower; kale; napa cabbage; spinach; red and green leaf lettuce; romaine; limited amounts of blueberries, raspberries, apples, cherries, peaches, crispy pears, etc.; generous amounts of avocado; walnuts; pecans; pistachios; olive oil; coconut oil; stevia, etc.Even more good news: Fruit in season is healthier than fruit out of season. Peeling and deseeding a tomato turns it into a healthy food. Cooking beans in a pressure cooker turns them into a healthy food. By scrutinizing the good- and bad-foods lists, one can try a partial-PPP. Examples: Eat more broccoli and less zucchini. More yams and less potatoes. More celery and less cucumber. More raw carrots and beets and less cooked ones. More stevia than Splenda or Sweet 'n Low. More water and less Diet Pepsi.The value of this book is enhanced by its meal plans for the PPP's three phases, an abundance of recipes, a comprehensive index, and a flowing writing style. Dr. Gundry has made a once-in-a-generation, groundbreaking contribution to our knowledge of diet's role in reversing and preventing both minor and major diseases.UPDATE August 11, 2017: About a month ago, the pain in my knees improved from "almost disappeared' to completely disappeared. Also, the pain in my left hip changed from "greatly improved" to completely disappeared.UPDATE April 17, 2019: About a year after I began Dr. Gundry’s Plant Paradox diet, I experienced the additional health improvements of more energy, more restful sleep, and contentment.Lawrence J. Bookbinder, PhD; retired psychologist; author