Genius Foods

Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life

By: Max Lugavere, Paul Grewal

Narrated by: Max Lugavere

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

Discover the critical link between your brain and the food you eat, change the way you think about how your brain ages, and achieve optimal brain performance with this powerful new guide from media personality and leading voice in health Max Lugavere. 

After his mother was diagnosed with a mysterious form of dementia, Max Lugavere put his successful media career on hold to learn everything he could about the workings of the human brain and his mother's condition. For the better half of a decade, he consumed the most up-to-date scientific research, talked to dozens of scientists and clinicians around the world, and visited the country's very best neurology departments. 

Now, in Genius Foods, Lugavere uncovers the stunning link between our dietary and lifestyle choices and our brain health, revealing how the foods you eat directly affect your ability to focus, learn, remember, create, analyze new ideas, and maintain a healthy, balanced mood. He presents ground-breaking science and distills the latest research, including:

• How food is like software for our endlessly capable minds; 
• How select nutrients can actually boost working memory and processing speed; 
• How slowing down the cognitive aging process is just as much about the foods you omit from your diet as the superfoods that you consume; 
• And how easy it is to modulate the quality of your thoughts and mood by food. 

In the vein of groundbreaking best sellers such as David Perlmutter's Grain Brain, Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Body, and Dave Asprey's Bulletproof Diet, Genius Foods presents a comprehensive, practical roadmap to optimizing the brain's health and performance today - and decades into the future.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the supplemental reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2018 Max Lugavere (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

I have learned nothing

A simple Google search would have gave me this information in a damn chart. It wasn't presented in a fun or interesting way. I am so bored. Let me sum it up for you. Eat Extra virgin olive oil, Blueberries and Dark Chocolate. Avoid processed food.

One of my all-time FAVE health books!!

The timing could not have been more perfect for this book. I started the keto diet in January, and while the ketogenic way of eating offers real weight loss results, I just didn't feel so great on it. I was tired and lethargic, and caught a horrible cold/virus that lasted nearly three weeks, and had a tough time accepting that a daily diet of cheese and meat and fats (even the healthy ones) was right for me. I love salads and veggies, but the keto "police" limits them to very small portions. I just didn't feel that I was giving my immune system and microbiome all the proper nutrition they required. Yet I totally understood and agreed with the science behind keeping insulin low and training your brain and body to use ketones for energy instead of glucose. I struggled with a way to connect keto with "clean" eating. While managing my weight as a middle-age woman is certainly important, it's more important to me to feel my best, look my best, and to avoid becoming a victim of disease. Having lost my mother to aggressive cancer over a decade ago, I didn't want to fall into the same trap. Vitality, vigor, and robust health were my main goals, and I set out to find the answer.

Lo and behold, seemingly out of nowhere, the answers definitely came in the form of this book. I absolutely loved it!!! First of all, it was amazing to me that the author read his own work exceptionally well. Typically, most authors (especially health and wellness ones) are terrible narrators, and it almost always diminishes the value of the content. But in this case. Mr. Lugavere was a fantastic narrator. I loved his sad, personal story about his mother and his quest to seek out answers, and he reads with an engaging tone and cadence that truly makes this book a pleasure to listen to. (He even cracks some funny jokes that had me laughing!) Also, I was pleased to discover how well it was written! Like he literally wrote it with me in mind. Enough science to intrigue me and provide a solid background to his findings, but not so science-y that it was way over my head. This book gave me the permission to still incorporate keto and intermittent fasting in my daily eating plan, while making it clear that I don't need to (nor should I want to!) give up my blueberries or leafy greens or cruciferous veggies -- even if it means going over my low carb allotment. In fact, I learned that going very low cab for extended time periods may not be the healthiest option for me. This book focuses on health and wellness and optimal mental well-being, which is exactly what I had been looking for. I'll probably end up listening to it more than once, because I don't want to miss even one suggestion. It all makes sense, and I know it will affect me in many positive ways. I look forward to more from this author. (I'd love to see a whole series on this topic, like Genius Exercise and Fitness, Genius Biohacks, and maybe even a deeper dive into Genius Superfoods, for those of us who really want to take things to the next level.) Five stars across the board!

Fantastic Listen and Learn!

1. Max has an awesome voice and sense of humor, making this likely the most enjoyable and funny nutrition book in the history of the universe.
2. Science. All the science. Max used his journalistic integrity and genuine heart to find the truth in our understanding of food as genetic information, rather than touting fad diets.
3. Definitely need to buy the physical book! While it is a great listen, I found myself wishing I could highlight and flag pages in what will soon be a favorite reference text in my medical library.

Life changing!

My mother has Alzheimers and my father has Parkinsons. After extensive research, this book provides the most hope I have found for helping them both... and also trying to safeguard my brain & health as much as possible. This should be required reading for all - doctors included! Incredible material.

Good book.

It is produced very well, easy to listen too and Lots and Lots of "food for thought". I crack myself up... seriously good stuff.

A Great Guide to Overall Health and We’ll Being

Great insights on how certain foods and lifestyle choices that can positively affect your life. While some of these things were already known before listening, I really learned a lot about things to look out for. I’ve made several life style changes based on this book. I really enjoyed listening to this book and have recommended it to countless family members and friends.

Great information

Every chapter is full of good medical information (in words a non-medical person can understand) on health and how the food we eat affects our body and brain. This book will make it easy to change the sugar and carb cravings because I now understand how my body and brain will be helped or HURT by them. The author's voice is very pleasant and I'll listen to this book often.

This book inspired me!

My mind has been opened to the possibilities for better brain health as we age! Max tells his personal story in his own voice... which is a very nice voice to listen to btw. I have changed the way I eat and have become more aware of my environmental toxins. I even switched to a natural makeup after listening to this book. Currently I'm a 3rd year medical student and have been trying to decide my chosen specialty. While listening to this, the author would cite different studies and papers to support claims made in the book. For the first time ever, I was excited to go look up the research papers and read them in completeness. I even started reading a neurology text book, listening to neuro pod casts, and started another audible book about why we sleep (Another neuro related topic with is really interesting for brain health). I was so inspired by this book to live better and have conversations with the patients I see in clinic every day about brain health. I've decided I want to become a neurologist and even got accepted to do research this summer at the NIH in neurology!!!!! This book changed my life. Let it change yours.

Some good information and some bad

A lot of good info but there’s a lot of pseudoscience too. Gluten isn’t bad unless you are intolerant or have celiacs disease which makes up about 1% of the population. GMO’s are not bad at all and he never defined his definition of organic. Organic typically is anti gmo and he pushes organic a lot which is not something that should be pushed. Organic is fine but it’s also an anti gmo word. Also when it comes to “super foods” take it with a grain of salt. There really is no such thing as a super food. Just something foods are better than others. He doesn’t really say super foods but he strongly implies it. All in all take this book with a grain of salt. He’s not a dietitian. Plus he says he speaks to nutritionists which is a red flag because dietitians have to be certified, anyone can claim to be a nutritionist. He also use the phrase “just a theory” which if you are scientifically literate, you know that’s a bad usage of the word “theory”. So there is a lot of good in this book but don’t take it a gospel.

Not Just for the Brain

Max Lugavere has written a brilliant book about nutrition for the brain. However, this book recommends a lifestyle that will benefit your entire body. it is the perfect culmination of all the newest nutrition literature that has proven that conventional diet recommendations are actually destructive. Topics from works by Dr. Jason Fung, Michael Greger MD, David Perlmutter MD, Robert H. Lustig, William Davis MD, Steven R. Gundry MD and Michael Pollan are echoed and pefectly combined for an easy one stop book. A must read/listen for anyone interested about nutrition. I have read most anti-western diet books and this is the one i believe best sums up the topic and is the most enjoyable to read. Thank you Max.

Greatly written, endless nutrition and health gems in this book

Hello I’m Adam 30 an engineering draughtsman, and a amateur Mma fighter! I have just finished the audible, and it has confirmed a lot of what I am doing is correct but also I gain a vast amount of knowledge regarding brain health which I have been adapting my diet towards ever since starting this book! I advise anyone that is interested in living a long and healthy life .....buy this book it is a must have the knowledge you gain is priceless if you apply it you will have improve your life no end. Thank you for reading this review and I hope it helps

Inspirational

Excellent book. Compelling arguments presented clearly with scientific backup - not overwhelmingly however. It all makes sense. I am a 100% convert. The good thing is he is not prescriptive. Merely suggests food and l

Health Awakening For All

Author is awesome and highly experienced at a young age. Admiration for Max Luvagere.

Excellent book to listen if you want to know everything about the food you should and shouldn’t eat.

I clipped out important passages to listen again.
Even though the diet is based on American food industry. Someone like me who is of an Asian origin can identify with the types of healthy foods, such as vegetables, pulses, free range meat, ghee and Ayurvedic diet which I tend to follow.

Meat products are excluded from an Indian Ayurveda diet.

All in moderation is the key. You need to determine yours.

Definitely cut out ALL processed food no matter how it’s labelled.

WOW! love this book.

I've read an enormous amount of books based on diet and lifestyle in order to be the best person I can be now and in the future.
What I love about this book is not only the solid science but the clear explanations, perfect for the non scientific community and great narration. Beautifully written and full of life changing advice.
I will be buying this for all those I love, as this book really has the potential to change lives enormously for the better.
Thank you Max Lugavere, I will be earnestly following you in the future.
On a final note what I really appreciate is at the end of the book the author spoke about questioning everything, including this book and not to get stuck with one idea of diet and health as science is always evolving and ( putting our egos aside) we should all remain open to new ways of thinking.

Great

A complete overview on all the methods to stay better and prevent neuro degenerative illness. A lot of things we should know...

Good book, but heard it all 1000 times

Nothing new in this book especially if you have been around any low carb sources recently. In fact, I kept forgetting that I wasn't listening to a keto book. Anyway, it's a well written, well read, and practical book.

I would skip this title

Changed my rating as I spoke with a doctor regarding some things the author mentions here...feels like he didn't spend time to fact check? the research he used was not fact then(time of release)and not fact now, there is some bad advice here, also cooking-advice-wise he needs to clarify who his audience is?! and what his random book is about?

Generic and maybe dangerous, not sure if his cause is genuine either TBH
You can research superfoods and write a better book I suppose, also If you're looking for ways to help a parent/elder when their at the first stages of Dementia this is not a book that can help contrary to the author's efforts to convince you and some of the marketing around it.."Super Foods- Super Brain" ......
I used a credit for this approximately at the time of its release, there was 0 content on search term "Dementia" now it doesn't come up in search results for that keyword.

lots of useful information

I enjoy Max's podcast and this book was supplementary to that. Lots of good information and suggestions for changing in your own life, some of which are easily doable with little effort, but others do require financial investment to achieve. there's lots of people I would want to read this!

Mind Blowing

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which opened my eyes to a lot of assumptions I made about food.

brilliant book about nutrition! very good tips!

I absolutely loved this book. I picked up some really good tips on what to include in my diet. Bare in mind I have already a lot of knowledge about the best things to be eating and supplements, for vegans and mostly gluten free diet. The book told me to include a lot of extra virgin olive oil and extra dark chocolate 80%+, which I wasnt doing but I am doing now. and a big salad daily, and that eggs are your friend! and the reasons why. If you are into nutrition or have excess weight, allergies or ailments, read this book! I noticed The author takes some material from julia Enders' ground breaking book called Gut, which I also highly recommend if you are into health and well-being and being as healthy as humanly possible! Meal ideas are given in Genius Foods for a whole week to see what kinda things you could have. It does get quite science-y at times, but you can glaze over those bits if its a bit much. As long as you listen to what you're supposed to be eating& cutting out. You're fine. it's funny as well. Highly recommend! Download or buy this book now!