Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease

Moalem, Sharon

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Harpercollins Entertainment

Read it. 
You're already living it.
Was diabetes evolution's response to the last Ice Age? Did a deadly genetic disease help our ancestors survive the bubonic plagues of Europe? Will a visit to the tanning salon help lower your cholesterol? Why do we age? Why are some people immune to HIV? Can your genes be turned on -- or off?
Joining the ranks of modern myth busters, Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on its head and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and our relationship to just about every other living thing on earth, from plants and animals to insects and bacteria.
Through a fresh and engaging examination of our evolutionary history, Dr. Moalem reveals how many of the conditions that are diseases today actually gave our ancestors a leg up in the survival sweepstakes. When the option is a long life with a disease or a short one without it, evolution opts for disease almost every time.
Everything from the climate our ancestors lived in to the crops they planted and ate to their beverage of choice can be seen in our genetic inheritance. But Survival of the Sickest doesn't stop there. It goes on to demonstrate just how little modern medicine really understands about human health, and offers a new way of thinking that can help all of us live longer, healthier lives.
Survival of the Sickest is filled with fascinating insights and cutting-edge research, presented in a way that is both accessible and utterly absorbing. This is a book about the interconnectedness of all life on earth -- and, especially, what that means for us.

Prince, Jonathan

Reference

William Morrow

What Stiff did for death, what Freakonomics did for economics, this iconoclastic book now does for medicine and our understanding of the human body In this revolutionary book, Sharon Moalem turns modern medicine’s understanding of disease on it’s head. “It is not,” he argues, “that dark country to which we’re exiled when we’re not ‘healthy.’ The truth, I intend to show you, is much more interesting and encouraging.” Moalem reveals how, instead of dreading common diseases, we should view them as complicated blessings that have helped homo sapiens to evolve.
 So why does disease exist? Moalem proposes that most common ailments―diabetes, hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia―came into existence for very good reasons. At some point they helped our ancestors survive some grand challenge to their existence. Examining the evolution of man, Moalem reveals the role genetic and cultural differences have played in the health and well-being of various races, including their susceptibility to disease.
 With mesmerizing insight, Moalem offers groundbreaking insight into :
• How diabetes may be a biproduct of a mechanism that helped humans survive the Ice Age
• Why African Americans living in the north might suffer from vitamin D deficiencies, 
• Why Asians can’t drink as much alcohol as Europeans
 Revelatory, utterly engaging, and timely―Moalem ponders H5N1, the emerging Avian Flu virus―Why Redheads Feel More Pain and Asians Can’t Drink will irrevocably change the way we think about our bodies and ourselves.

Survival of the Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease and Longevity (P.S.)

Harper-perennial

“Read this book and discover sex again, but from a scientific perspective, and see why it evolved. It’s almost as much fun, and needs less energy.” — Peter Macinnis, author of 100 Discoveries: The Greatest Breakthroughs in History 
"How Sex Works manages to inject science writing with the prurient thrill of a gossip rag." —O magazine 
Medical maverick and New York Times bestselling author of Survival of the Sickest Dr. Sharon Moalem presents an insightful and engaging voyage through the surprising history and evolution of sexual reproduction. Fans of Freakonomics, Blink, You: The Owner’s Manual, and Why Do Men Have Nipples will find many engaging insights in How Sex Works.

How Sex Works: Why We Look, Smell, Taste, Feel and Act the Way We Do

Self-Help

Harpercollins

How Sex Works: Why We Look, Smell, Taste, Feel, and Act the Way We Do

From the best-selling author of Survival of the Sickest comes this presentation of strange and fascinating discoveries about the human mating game, from the structure and function of human sex organs to the peculiar biology of sexual attraction, in an account that also examines contraception, pregnancy, sexuality, and sterility. Simultaneous.

Parenting & Relationships

HarperAudio

The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women

An award-winning physician and scientist makes the game-changing case that genetic females are stronger than males at every stage of life\n'A powerful antidote to the myth of a "weaker sex"' Gina Rippon, author of The Gendered Brain\nFrom birth, genetic females are better at fighting viruses, infections and cancer. They do better at surviving epidemics and famines. They live longer, and even see the world in a wider variety of colours. These are the facts; they are simply stronger than men at every stage of life. Why? And why are we taught the opposite?\nDrawing on his wide-ranging experience and cutting-edge research as a medic, geneticist and specialist in rare diseases, Dr Sharon Moalem reveals how the answer lies in our genetics: the female's double XX chromosomes offer a powerful survival advantage. And he calls for a long-overdue reconsideration of our one-size-fits-all view of the body and medicine - a view that still frames women through the lens of men. Revolutionary, captivating and utterly persuasive, The Better Half will make you see women, men and the survival of our species anew.\n'Brilliant, original and groundbreaking, highly readable and genuinely useful' Daily Mail

Science & Math

Biological Sciences

Penguin

A Guardian Book of the Week 
Longlisted for the PEN / E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award\nAn award-winning physician and scientist makes the game-changing case that genetic females are stronger than males at every stage of life\nHere are some facts: Women live longer than men. They have stronger immune systems. They're better at fighting cancer and surviving famine, and even see the world in a wider variety of colors. They are simply stronger than men at every stage of life. Why is this? And why are we taught the opposite?\nTo find out, Dr. Sharon Moalem drew on his own medical experiences - treating premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit; recruiting the elderly for neurogenetic studies; tending to HIV-positive orphans in Thailand - and tried to understand why in every instance men were consistently less likely to thrive. The answer, he discovered, lies in our genetics: two X chromosomes offer a powerful survival advantage.\nWith clear, captivating prose that weaves together eye-opening research, case studies, diverse examples ranging from the behavior of honeybees to American pioneers, as well as experiences from his personal life and his own patients, Moalem explains why genetic females triumph over males when it comes to resiliency, intellect, stamina, immunity and much more. He also calls for a reconsideration of our male-centric, one-size-fits-all view of medical studies and even how we prescribe medications - a view that still sees women through the lens of men.\nRevolutionary and yet utterly convincing, The Better Half will make you see humanity and the survival of our species anew.

Better Half

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Picador Paper

An award-winning physician and New York Times bestselling author reveals how genetic breakthroughs are completely transforming our understanding of both the world and our lives. Conventional wisdom dictates that our genetic destiny is fixed at conception. But Dr. Moalem's groundbreaking book shows us that the human genome is far more fluid and fascinating than your ninth grade biology teacher ever imagined. By bringing us to the bedside of his unique and complex patients, he masterfully demonstrates what rare genetic conditions can teach us all about our own health and well-being. In the brave new world we're rapidly rocketing into, genetic knowledge has become absolutely crucial. Inheritance provides an indispensable roadmap for this journey by teaching you: <ul><li>Why you may have recovered from the psychological trauma caused by childhood bullying-but your genes may remain scarred for life.</li></ul>
<ul><li>How fructose is the sugar that makes fruits sweet-but if you have certain genes, consuming it can buy you a one-way trip to the coroner's office.</li></ul>
<ul><li>Why ingesting common painkillers is like dosing yourself repeatedly with morphine -- if you have a certain set of genes.</li></ul>
<ul><li>How insurance companies legally use your genetic data to predict the risk of disability for you and your children-and how that impacts the coverage decisions they make for your family.</li></ul>
<ul><li>How to have the single most important conversation with your doctor -- one that can save your life.</li></ul>
<ul><li>And finally, why people with rare genetic conditions hold the keys to medical problems affecting millions.</li></ul>In this trailblazing book, Dr. Moalem employs his wide-ranging and entertaining interdisciplinary approach to science and medicine -- explaining how art, history, superheroes, sex workers, and sports stars all help us understand the impact of our lives on our genes, and our genes on our lives. Inheritance will profoundly alter how you view your genes, your health -- and your life.

Inheritance

Grand Central Publishing

The DNA Restart turns traditional dietary advice on its head with groundbreaking research that demonstrates that we all require different diets based on our genes. In The DNA Restart, Sharon Moalem, MD, PhD, provides a revolutionary step-by-step guide to the diet and lifestyle perfect for your individual genetic makeup. A physician, scientist, neurogeneticist, and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Moalem has spent the last two decades researching and formulating how to reset your own genetic code using five essential pillars: eat for your genes; reverse aging; eat umami; drink oolong tea; and slow living. The DNA Restart plan utilizes decades of in-depth scientific research into genetics, epigenetics, nutrition, and longevity to explain the pivotal role genes play in the journey to ideal weight and health status. Dr. Moalem’s unique 28-day plan shows how to upgrade sleep, harness sensory awareness, and use exercise to reset your DNA; how to determine the right amounts of protein, carbs, and fats you need for your individual genetic make-up; and how to incorporate umami-rich recipes and oolong tea into your diet to genetically thrive. Delicious recipes with mix-and-match meal plans, inspiring testimonials, and genetic self-tests round out this paradigm shifting diet book.

The DNA Restart: Unlock Your Personal Genetic Code to Eat for Your Genes, Lose Weight, and Reverse Aging

Diets & Weight Loss

Rodale Books

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Moalem, Sharon. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Moalem, Sharon

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Moalem, Sharon. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease

Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease

Survival of the Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease and Longevity (P.S.)

How Sex Works: Why We Look, Smell, Taste, Feel and Act the Way We Do

How Sex Works: Why We Look, Smell, Taste, Feel, and Act the Way We Do

How Sex Works: Why We Look, Smell, Taste, Feel, and Act the Way We Do

The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women

Better Half

Inheritance

The DNA Restart: Unlock Your Personal Genetic Code to Eat for Your Genes, Lose Weight, and Reverse Aging