The Good Vices

From Beer to Sex, the Surprising Truth About What's Actually Good for You

By: Dr. Harry Ofgang, Erik Ofgang

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Being healthy is easier, less expensive, and a whole lot more enjoyable than you think.

Much of the health advice we receive today tells us that in order to be healthy, we must consume a Spartan diet, exercise with the intensity of an Olympic athlete, and take a drug for every ailment. We constantly worry about the foods we should or shouldn't be eating and the medical tests we have neglected to take. And all that worry costs us dearly - financially, emotionally, and physically.

In The Good Vices, prominent naturopathic physician Dr. Harry Ofgang and health journalist Erik Ofgang tear down decades of myth and prejudice to reveal how some of our guilty pleasures are not only okay but actually good for our health. For example:

• Like wine, moderate beer and spirit consumption raises our bodies' level of good cholesterol, which protects against heart disease.
• Egg yolks are an excellent source of important fat-soluble vitamins.
• Research suggests that moderate exercisers can be at least as healthy as, and sometimes even healthier than, those who exercise intensively.

Forget what you thought you knew about what's healthy, and enjoy some good vices instead.

©2019 Dr. Harry Ofgang and Erik Ofgang (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The Good Vices emphasizes that having fun and indulging in some of life’s simple pleasures can be consistent with a healthier lifestyle. We always knew that eating ice cream was a lot of fun and are happy to hear it can be a part of healthy living. So enjoy a little ice cream, read this book, and be healthy." (Jerry Greenfield, cofounder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream)

"With good humor, the Ofgangs offer insights and scientific evidence against a culture of deprivation, mortification, and unbridled consumerist fads. They restore la dolce vita to a place of prominence - and along the way, show how well-being and genuine care of the self require the right kind of indulgences." (Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, PhD, folklorist and associate professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst)

“I have pioneered 'flexible dieting' methods for 25 years, and I love seeing a resource like The Good Vices sand the rough edges from rigid diet dogma. The Ofgangs remind us that a healthy lifestyle can be fun!” (Joe Klemczewski, PhD, coauthor of The Diet Docs' Guide to Permanent Weight Loss)