Why We Get Sick

The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease - and How to Fight It

By: Benjamin Bikman PhD

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

A scientist reveals the groundbreaking evidence linking many major diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, to a common root cause - insulin resistance - and shares an easy, effective plan to reverse and prevent it.

We are sick. Around the world, we struggle with diseases that were once considered rare. Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes affect millions each year; many people are also struggling with hypertension, weight gain, fatty liver, dementia, low testosterone, menstrual irregularities and infertility, and more. We treat the symptoms, not realizing that all of these diseases and disorders have something in common.

Each of them is caused or made worse by a condition known as insulin resistance. And you might have it. Odds are you do - more than half of all adults in the United States are insulin resistant, with most other countries either worse or not far behind.

In Why We Get Sick, internationally renowned scientist and pathophysiology Professor Benjamin Bikman explores why insulin resistance has become so prevalent and why it matters. Unless we recognize it and take steps to reverse the trend, major chronic diseases will be even more widespread. But reversing insulin resistance is possible, and Bikman offers an evidence-based plan to stop and prevent it, with helpful food lists, meal suggestions, easy exercise principles, and more. Full of surprising research and practical advice, Why We Get Sick will help you to take control of your health. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. 

©2020 Benjamin Bikman (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Ben Bikman is my new Dr. Jason Fung ❤️

I just listened to the book on audible, but now I will buy the hard copy too. Too much great info that I know I will want to keep this the paper version as a long term reference. I think I liked this better than The Obesity Code. As a Nurse Practitioner who runs a weight loss clinic in my office the scientific data is so powerful.

highly recommended book

you live in a day and age you have to take your health into your own hands. Doctors are trained to prescribe drugs only. this is a must read if you don't want to blindly follow the sheep and end up in poor health on dozens of medications

The go to guide to take control of your health

This book is FILLED with amazing information and explanations of how insulin can wreak havoc in your body without being overly science-y. Well written and organized with suggestions that are helpful and practical. The narration is great as well, easy to listen to and holds your attention.

I feel this could have been a pamphlet

This book basically said everything was related to insulin resistance. I think that statement and a list of conditions that are related to or caused by insulin resistance could have been the whole book. Just make it a pamphlet and include references to show where to find more details on specific conditions.

Listened twice

If you want to understand insulin resistance and get a plan together for your health then this is the book for you. Great groundbreaking information.

Must read for those concerned about insulin

Dr Dickman makes it very easy to understand how insulin resistance affects various aspects of heal in profound ways and more importantly a short series of steps we can undertake when it comes to lifestyle to avoid or reverse insulin resistance.

Most assertions are backed by citing good studies and cavets apply where there hasn't been a strong enough causal inference when it comes to insulin resistance and some disorder/disease.

Miss leading title

One would think when you read this book it was going to deal with why we get sick. Instead, it focussed almost exclusively on insulin sensitivity. The book was boring and even by skipping around I couldn’t find anything really interesting. Not recommended unless you’re a diabetic.

direct conversational to the point

direct conversational to the point without being to dry or lecture like
or repetitive

Life changing

Fantastic book. A serious eye opener! Definitely a must read! Full of great life changing info. Highly recommended!

Excellent information needed today!

This has necessary information delivered in an uncompromising straight forward manner. Very much appreciated!

Spiritual successor to a powerful book

I view this as a spiritual successor to Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat (the title also appears to be a reference). Equally succinct and striking, this book should be much harder to dismiss, partly due to the author's credentials and partly due to chronic disease not being as easily brushed off as a matter of aestehetics. Hopefully it will reach many (and perhaps more importantly the right) people, so we can avoid the looming disaster of collapsing healthcare systems all over the world.

An Absolute Must Read

The book starts slowly to lay the technical ground and then in the third part delivers some absolutely extraordinary conclusions. Don't restrict your calorie intake. Dietary / dairy fats good. Carbs are problematic but if needed can be consumed after your proteins, not with. Et cetera. Each assertion is clearly and logically explained. By odd chance I started many of the practices 18 months before reading it and can therefore attest to the efficacy - having lost 45lbs/20kgs and being in the best shape of my adult life.

Good book but should be considered with a cautioun

Good and easy readable book. I am myself a huge fan of a low carb diet, but therm ketogenic may be misleading. There is a huge caveat - low carb isn't equal ketogenic. Everything is good in moderation. Excessive obsession with one part can lead to neglect in another. Our body is a very complex system and needs balance. To push body to permanent ketosis state people have to limit seriously fruits and vegetables and other fiber rich food such as wholegrains. Less than 75 grams of carbs for people who answered "yes" to the questionnaire (let's be honest - almost everyone) is really hard to sustain. Less then 15 grams for two "yes" - mostly unrealistic without serious consequences. It's much more achiavable to exclude bad carbs and stick to this plan in the long run. Moreover strict ketogenic diet was shown recently to have negative health consequences.

great book with ideas clearly explained

this book makes the premise easy to understand and gives ideas on implementation. assuming the information is correct it could make a massive difference to healthy aging.

A book EVERYONE should read

Ben Bikman is a genius, and his thesis that hyperinsulinemia is the cause of most common chronic diseases we suffer with today, is compelling, fascinating and yes at times technical.

But don't let that put you off he explains it well and for the most part in the most approachable language. I would seriously recommend this to anyone looking to improve their health.

A must read

An extremely important, concise and thorough examination of the metabolic syndrome - the hidden pandemic making everyone fat, sick and unhappy. Suddenly modern diseases don’t seem random or unpredictable and medicine starts making sense. Most importantly, it explains what to do to reverse the metabolic disease and protect our life, health and happiness.

Good read, interesting

This is mostly about insulin resistance. I found it very interesting and will listen to it again.
The accompanying PDF is missing numbers and doesn't seem to flow at times. Hence my 4 stars. I wondered if anyone noticed this except me. I saw no mention of this in the reviews.

Pseudoscience...?

Had to stop listening after he described estrogen as a female hormone and testosterone as a male hormone in the context of reproductive health. I don't usually check all references when reading books like this (laziness, time) but I couldn't shake the feeling it felt like pseudoscience and not that balanced. Maybe I'm wrong! But there's no point if trust between author and reader is lost.

Extremely boring

According to the author everything and anything cause insulin resistance. The book could be a list of things you do or eat or are exposed to and end with a sentence "causes insulin resistance". I don't even mention that half of the book is false and don't comply with recent research.

Outstanding insight into real health!

If you think you know health, struggle with ill health or feel stuck - give this book a try.