The Energy Paradox: What to Do When Your Get-Up-and-Go Has Got Up and Gone by Steven R. Gundry

The Energy Paradox: What to Do When Your Get-Up-and-Go Has Got Up and Gone Reviews

• 
  Theresa Alan

  3.5 stars
  
  This goes against virtually everything you’ve ever learned about losing weight. After I read the Plant Paradox, I lost 15 pounds quickly. As soon as I started eating pasta and bread, I gained five pounds in no time. The Plant Paradox program is very restrictive. I’m a vegetarian who eats little dairy, so that part wasn’t hard, but giving up things like tomatoes and pasta and seitan (which is wheat gluten) and potatoes sucked. And I did this during Covid, when I definitely wasn’t going out to eat and could easily control what I put into my body.
  
  Like most adults, my energy isn’t always great. Sometimes it’s easy to see why I don’t have the energy for work that takes sharp attention—because I didn’t sleep well. According to this book, the blue screens we face most of our day (for those of us who work on our laptops and read books on our phone and then watch TV at night) are just one thing that is to blame. I had heard before about how leaky gut can have an impact on your mental health, including sleep, so repairing your gut is important. Hence the big focus these days about foods and supplements that have pre- and post-biotics to get your gut bacteria happy.
  
  This book relies heavily on the premise you should limit the number of hours you consume calories. At first I thought I was already largely sticking to the eating meals during eight hours, leaving 16 hours when I wasn’t eating, but I wasn’t taking into account that I put almond/coconut milk into my coffee, which I consume first thing in the morning.
  
  This book was also much denser in terms of the information provided—I often had to reread a paragraph at least once to process what I was reading, and even then I didn’t always completely understand. I also thought the recipes were much better in other books, particularly the Plant Paradox Family Cookbook.
  
  Seven Deadly Energy Disruptors:
  
  1) Antibiotics. These are overprescribed and thus overused. They have an impact on your mitochondria and damage neurons, creating behavioral issues like depression and anxiety. It can take two years to regain the energy-supporting ecosystem you had before taking them. Obviously, if you need them, take them, but doctors prescribe these sometimes so people don’t feel like they wasted their time going to the doctor, not because they are medically necessary.
  2) Roundup. It’s a ubiquitous spray that destroys weeds on plants (that are eaten by the farm animals that will make it to the dinner plate), but also destroys bacteria in your body that you need to survive and have energy. You can try your best to eat organic foods, but it’s also in beer, wine, and honey.
  3) Environmental Chemicals. In addition to the glyphosate in Roundup, BPA can leach out of food cans, microwavable packaging, plastic bottles, and nonstick coatings for cookware.
  4) Overused Drugs. Even over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen can be “hand grenades for your gut” because they damage the intestinal wall allowing lectins and other unhelpful microbes in, causing inflammation. He also cautions about the impact of the birth control pill and how its absorbed in the body.
  5) Fructose. This is everywhere in the form of foods and drinks with high-fructose corn syrup. Fruit smoothies. Even healthy fruit leads your body to think winter must be coming so you should store fat. Fructose, unlike glucose, is absorbed from your intestine and taken directly to your liver, where it’s turned into saturated fatty acid palmitate.
  6) Junk Light. All the artificial light we use all day long messes up our circadian clocks and our natural production of melatonin, yet another thing that disrupts getting solid sleep.
  7) Electromagnetic Fields. I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do about this, especially if you live in an apartment in a city where everyone has routers and there might be a cell tower nearby.
  He lists food that have prebiotic fiber (artichokes, asparagus, onions, and pressure-cooked beans) and promote postbiotic production (broccoli, cauliflowers, onions, garlic).
  
  There is some interesting information in here, but I doubt I’ll change many things from what I was originally following for the most part.
• 
  Sarah Johnson

  Apparently this is the first book by Gundry I've read and I don't think it will happen again. I'm not going to say he's wrong, but unless you have a great deal of time, money and access to specialty grocery stores it's practically impossible. Also, you need red light bulbs. And don't eat most fruit. And only eat beans if you pressure cook them, which means you also need a pressure cooker. And there's a listing of supplements you can/should take (many of them he sells) if you accidently eat a lectin or a sugar or something else that you weren't supposed to eat. And also because you can't possible get everything you need from food. There are nuggets that are useful for anyone, but as a whole, this is too hard for most people. I didn't actually have much of an energy problem when I started listening to it, but I'm exhausted now.
• 
  Kimberly

  This might work but I will never know because I am not cutting out all dairy, grains, and legumes. Many vegetable are also forbidden and fruit is to be limited to no more than one piece a week and only if it is in season. The ultimate goal is to eat only one meal a day and within a single two-hour period. Naturally, the author has his own line of supplements and bars that are recommended.
• 
  Trace Nichols

  3.5 stars
  For those familiar with Gundry's work and lifestyle plans, this latest will reiterate many of the previous principles and foods dos and don'ts, while offering an extended road map to "get healthy" and regain your energy. It is not for the faint of heart as this develops an intermittent fasting regiment on top of the healthy eating choices. What I gained most from the read was a clearer understanding of how important it is to create a food plan that benefits your specific body... and how detrimental and ultimately harmful many of the food plan fads can be to your long-term health and longevity strategy - like Ketogenic, Paleo and carnivore diets. You can use this guide as a starting road map to build your own trip. But be careful not to fall prey to all the hype out there on specific diets that remove all types of foods, and extreme fasting that can lead to complete insulin resistance and disordered eating. Balance leads to harmony.
• 
  Aaron

  If your energy level is noticeably affecting your quality of life and you are ready to give up most bread cookies, pasta, pastries potatoes, rice and tortillas along with most grains, most fruit, all beans, lentils, peas, tofu, cashews, peanuts pumpkin and sunflower seeds, bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, zucchini and TOMATOES among many other staples ( cheese) this book may be for you. You'll have to wait till page 200 to get the one two punch though. Hopefully the preceding pages will have convinced that it's worth it. I don't doubt that the proposed diet will work, life is just too short for me to forego the bounty of earths fruits and vegetables and live like a caveman.
  There are many other do's and dont's , some make a lot of sense ( avoid toxins, prolonged antibiotics) others questionable ( avoid G5 networks).
  
  I am well aware and currently practice some intermittent fasting, which the author encourages, down to one meal a day( OMAD) if you can for optimal energy and gut health. Maybe someday, when I have to drag myself out of bed or fall asleep in the afternoon, I'll consider this book. For now I'm doing well w a pescatarian diet, and physically active lifestyle.
• 
  Jay Pruitt

  Dr. Gundry's book covers several topics pertaining to health and energy levels. It discusses the harmful effects of chronic inflammation caused by our Western diet. It talks about the benefits of the "gut buddies" which live in our intestines, how some foods, antibiotics and NSAIDs destroy these good bacteria, and why we need more dietary fiber to feed them. It discusses mitochondria which reside within our cells to produce energy from the nutrients we ingest, how the foods we eat (particularly fructose) can reduce their "metabolic flexibility", and how certain foods can provide the vitamin D and melatonin needed to return them to a healthy state. Dr. Gundry also discusses how the timing of our meals can be an essential tool in the combating of insulin resistance (pre-diabetes).
  
  Although helpful in terms of overall topics, following the dietary course recommended would, to me, be an unrealistic goal. Not only does the diet plan cut out what would normally be understood as unhealthy foods, such as sugars and processed foods, but it also eliminates foods with lectins, thought to cause "leaky gut." This would mean the avoidance of most fruit, grains, dairy, as well as bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, etc. His two-week recovery plan would be challenging to even the most devoted follower.
• 
  tahnee german

  hahaha do not read this book. there may be some truth in the things he claims zap our energy, but IMO most americans are eating heavily processed, sugary, salty foods and living a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. you can’t convince me that the time you eat or eating a single macro meal will ever be more important than the basics. someone might say “well this book is meant to complement a healthy diet and active lifestyle”, but so many people aren’t even living that healthy lifestyle very well i find this book almost completely irrelevant. to me it seemed way to much like a compartmentalized “quick fix.”
  
  ALSO he talked about plant vs animal proteins without even acknowledging any environmental or ethical concerns. poor argument here, you can’t talk about plant vs animal proteins without at least addressing concerns outside immediate physical health (i.e. who cares if your body is healthy if the earth is going to melt?? at least needs to be addressed)
  
  ALSO ALSO he straight up promoted not wearing sunscreen outside and that’s where he really lost me. and he didn’t even address the skin aging and damaging effects of not wearing sunscreen? again, poor argument here bc he was too narrowed in and failed to analyze his argument in the context of the broader whole.
• 
  TJ

  reiteration of his previous works, I just got tired of it 😪
• 
  Laura

  DNF @ pg 74
  I was really enjoying this book, but unfortunately had to return it to the library. I went in search of it elsewhere and found a looooot of reviews discussing the impossibility of the diet and the "quack science" nature of his arguments. Many recommended continuing research on gut health and the concept of leaky gut, but to do so with more legitimate sources and authors who do not have a stake in selling you their supplements to make it all work. Normally I wouldn't let the opinions of others influence my reading this drastically, especially because I'm enjoying learning about gut health so much. But I was able to peruse the book once it was back on the shelf at the library and realized they were correct, at least in regards to the horrible diet plan and subsequent supplement sales pitch. So I see no point in continuing on with this one, and will look for better books on the subject.
• 
  Laura

  I read this book straight after reading his previous “The Plant Paradox” and found that this one (energy paradox) is almost a copy, the program and recommendations are practically the same also, down to the wording used.
  
  The only unique information that I found in this book and not the previous one was the brief passage on the mitochondria.
  
  He is much more evident in plugging his own supplements in this book than in the previous and I could do without the boasting, which gets annoying.
  
  Quite surprising that in a book about energy (or lack of it) there is such little attention given to quality and quantity of sleep or habits.
  
  Overall, if this is your first book by Dr. Gundry, you’ll probably enjoy it but I found the Plant Paradox much more enjoyable in respect to information and language used (also less product plug from author).
• 
  Phantom_fox

  I'm going to try this. We'll see if the rating goes up or down.
• 
  Brian Sachetta

  If you’re new to Gundry or his writing, my guess is you’ll likely enjoy this one. It’s a bit technical for a health and fitness style book, but it has a unique approach that captivates and entertains. Most importantly, it offers very few gimmicks — just high-level eating and lifestyle changes that make sense.
  
  Unfortunately, however, if you’ve read one of his books in the past, you probably won’t find much groundbreaking information here. Despite a different “label” (energy) and some new recipes, this one has the same overall message of “do right by your gut buddies and avoid lectins” as its predecessors. Not exactly what you go into a book hoping for, but, oh well.
  
  On the more positive side of things, though, I did enjoy the mental health and meditation-related discussions near the end of the manuscript. They brought some new and important topics to the stage and helped complement the overall theme of health and wellness here.
  
  So, in sum, definitely check this one out if it’s your first Gundry book. Otherwise, however, you may want to explore other titles.
• 
  Allison Altepeter

  I've now read nearly the full Gundry library (just missing longevity paradox). This plus Wahls Protocol has been keeping my inflammation down enough that I can sleep. It's Paleo + lectins knowledge + understanding AIP info. Highly recommend reading as many of these authors/doctors (Gundry, Wahls, Hyman, etc.) and figuring out what your body needs.
  
  Obvs that eating this way is expensive - cheap food is cheap for a reason. Obvs that this takes effort and time. But, that doesn't negate the benefits I (and many others) have seen as a result of prioritizing health and healing.
• 
  Erin

  There are some interesting ideas here, but the list of references are very problematic in regards to credibility which, as a doctor, Gundry well knows. Meaning this book lives in the realm of selling a product; not a viable medical solution supported by science. I suggest Gundry initiates some real scientific research regarding this method and have it verified through the peer review process if he's had such luck with his system. Then a book written for the masses would be in order.
• 
  Mariko

  I don't believe the whole "lectins are the devil" message or that his method sounds like a miracle cure. I did like his emphasis of vegetables and it reminded me to try to incorporate more veggies in my diet. I also took away a few tips I want to try, such as time restricted eating (eating within a 12-10 hour window).
• 
  Bela

  Bohužel, po spoustě řečí a keců se nakonec dostáváme k "jídelníčku". A to už jsem to definitivně vzdala. Opravdu nemám ráda kapustu a houby. A právě z těchto dvou ingrediencí se skládá 75% receptů. Zbytek obsahuje hřebenatky, krevety, avokádový olej, pečené mušle či maniokové chipsy. Když jsem se tuhle ptala v našem konzumu ve vesnici po hřebenatkách, koukali na mě jak z jara. Takže tento stravovací směr asi opravdu nebude pro mě.
  
  
• 
  Denise Davis

  I didn’t finish this one. I wasn’t a big fan of the the style.
• 
  Amy Whitehouse

  DNF. Another BS diet book reframed as a cure for lack of energy by cutting out the greatest evil…sugar. Gasp. Eye roll.
  
  Doesn’t address* any social causes adding to stress and fatigue. Our over worked underpaid working class who lack time and access to the very foods he recommends. Majority of Americans living with a constant sense of overwhelm. The bombardment of traumatic images via media flooding our already overstimulated brains. This is the same old upper middle class nonsense. “I eat lentils and feel great, you can too!” Full of medical misinformation and useless anecdotes. Don’t waste your time.
  
  * I could be wrong as I did not finish the book but from what I read, more than 60% I didn’t see any indication of him touching on these issues. It’s a diet book.
• 
  Natalia

  Where is the science in here? It's full of selective data that fits his own unsupported theories.
• 
  Roxanne Millar

  Very difficult diet with a lot of specialty items. Cuts out a lot of food groups. I’m sure you’ll lose weight as you cut your meals back dramatically! That will do it! Recommendations on sun exposure are dangerous given the risk of melanoma in some parts of the world. Sorry, I don’t usually leave negative reviews but I believe there are more moderate ways to achieve the same outcome.
• 
  Cairo

  Wow...
  
  2 stars because my issue isn't that this is a terrible book, just a dishonest one.
  
  I went into this book really excited and with an open mind: almost every adult that I know struggles with fatigue and a lack of energy. I was interested in learning what the latest research could tell us about why American adults have such a severe lack of motivation nowadays.
  
  About 60 pages in, my attitude went from "Yeah! Facts!" to "What the heck is this guy talking about?"
  
  At 100 pages, I regretted recommending this book to a man who unfortunately happened to be sitting next to me at a training orientation for my job. Joe, if you're out there, I hope you were lying about giving this one a try.
  
  I hate not finishing things, so after I finally forced my way through the last page, I went upstairs to eat dinner with my family, where we all laughed over a meal that contained tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, and meat. The horrors!
  
  That's a lot of words to say that I don't hate this book or even think the author should never have written it. Lectin sensitivity is a real phenomenon that is just now coming to our attention, and in some cases it can cause severe GI symptoms or deplete energy. However, degree of lectin sensitivity isn't even addressed in this book: the author assumes that because he has it and benefited from his crazy diet, everyone else should and must follow the same plan. If you struggle from IBS, Crohn's disease, you might want to look into it (but please talk to a doctor first who isn't Dr. Gundry!). However, if you just lack energy from your day-to-day, there are many other things I would recommend taking a closer look at before you start eliminating foods willy-nilly. For example, what's your sleep schedule looking like? Are you exercising every day? Are you eating enough food and foods that are nurturing and satisfying? Is your work life fulfilling? What about depression and anxiety? There are so many factors that influence someone's energy levels, and I think someone's degree of lectin sensitivity is just one of those factors.
  
  I wouldn't have such an issue with Dr. Gundry if he had marketed his book toward people with lectin sensitivity or even just GI problems, but he markets it to anyone with energy deficiency. His assumption is that if you are feeling tired, it must be due to lectin sensitivity, and that makes his book dishonest to me. I genuinely hope this book is helpful to the right audience, but for everyone else: don't toss the fruit, veggies, meat, and bread and think about what other lifestyle factors might be causing you to have low energy. Use your critical thinking skills, and do your own research, because even intelligent scientists and authors like Dr. Gundry can be wrong.
• 
  David Moosmann

  Interesting ideas but his "science" is mostly guesswork.
  
  I still think you can take important things from this book:
  
  - Cut all sugars/bad fats (fried stuff)
  - Eat veggies and high-quality meat
  - Intermittent Fasting is great (that has been proven elsewhere numerously)
  
  He sells supplements, and he sells them in a very annoying way. This whole book might just be a way to sell more and that leaves a bad aftertaste.
• 
  Leo

  Book came recommended by the algorithms a while back. Been sitting in my queue for a while, and decided to give it a go. Well, out it went. Book reads like the script for a late night infomercial. Forty-five minutes into the book, and Gundry is still telling me he's going to reveal the secrets to getting more energy back. I frankly gave up after the 7th or 8th time he made that promise, only to promising it would come in later chapter.
  
  If the secrets to eternal youth and vitality is head within these pages, this reader will never know about them. I frankly could stomach the infomercial storytelling one more minute.