Official Review: OUCH! The Pain of Modern Civilization

[LinaMueller]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "OUCH! The Pain of Modern Civilization" by Dr. Ajay Issar & Alka Issar.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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OUCH! The Pain of Modern Civilization by Dr. Ajay Issar & Alka Issar is a health book with a friendly and easy-to-understand language. The book's basic premise is that modern "civilization" can be extremely harmful to individuals' health. According to the authors, four main factors affect health and can engender chronic disease: overnutrition, underactivity, circadian rhythm (sleep disruption), and hectic/stressful lifestyles. After this presentation, two questions should pop into your head. First, is civilization evil in itself, or does it simply facilitate unhealthy habits? And second, will another health book add value to readers?

Having a lot of food options can never be considered a bad thing. Evolutionary biology (something very well covered in this book) explains that the human being evolved in an environment of scarcity in which he had to look for food every day. Additionally, taking long fasts was a daily reality. If overeating is harmful to your health, "civilization" is not to blame if someone decides to "misbehave." Just as civilization provides easy access to hamburgers, it also offers easy access to healthy foods. The second question will be better answered in the next paragraph, but the answer is a shrill "yes." The authors were very successful in creating a book that encompasses all aspects of human health. The book covers evolutionary biology, the causes of the problem, the solutions, recipes for healthy foods, and even reports on patients who significantly improved their health.

What surprised me the most (my favorite part of the book) was how well the authors communicated the message playfully and educationally. Besides being high-caliber professionals, they have significant experience dealing with human beings. In the middle of the book, I came to think, "ok, what you're saying is pretty good in theory, but in practice, only wealthy people who have too much time will be able to follow your tips." However, now I agree that everyone can achieve these goals. You don't have to be a millionaire or live off an income to have a healthy lifestyle. In fact, the main difficulty is not lack of time or how much money to spend, but motivation. The authors, however, offer fascinating advice on how to achieve your goals.

My only qualm about this book is something small. Many images in the kindle version are not that great. The reality is that most of them are unreadable. I found only three grammatical errors in a book that has more than 400 pages. In this regard, this work is professionally edited. Anyway, these details are insignificant compared to the immense qualities of the book. The authors managed to approach a complex and scientific subject in a way that any layman can understand. At the end of the book, there are many references that include journals, books, websites, and so forth.

Everything considered, I willingly rate OUCH! The Pain of Modern Civilization four out of four stars. I can say without fear of mistake that this is the best health book I have ever read. That way, there's no way to think about deducting a star from the final score. As redundant and generic as what I'm going to say is, I recommend this book to everyone who cares about their health. After all, who doesn't want to live better and longer lives? Most modern chronic diseases are preventable, and anyone can live a healthy lifestyle without spending too much.

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OUCH! The Pain of Modern Civilization
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Shivansh_007]

I'll totally agree to the author, although there is plenty of cuisines in our world right now we should always opt for something that will do good to us, not har us in all means. Thanks to the reviewer for writing this amazing review.

[Michelle Menezes]

Usually, books on human health can get very tedious to read by regular individuals due to the scientific terms, but I'm glad that the authors have used simple terms that anyone can understand and follow. I also like that they have included real life experiences of people who have improved their health. It makes the content relatable and builds confidence in people. Thank you for the detailed review!

[Reema Aydieh]

I’m not really into health books but I can see the benefits of reading them. Thank you for this review.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

The four factors discussed in this book explain a lot about the problems related to our health. Those factors also make it easier for the readers to understand the solutions available for our health problems.
Thanks for this amazing review.

[Deval Sodha]

This is a health book with a friendly and easy-to-understand language. The book's basic premise is that modern "civilization" can be extremely harmful to individuals' health. According to the authors, four main factors affect health and can engender chronic disease. Explore this amazing book to know more.
The review is superb.
Congratulations on Botd

[asteel18]

I'm always looking for a good health book. There are so many things we can do differently to improve our health. Thanks for the heads up about the pictures on Kindle.

[tarafarah7]

Excellent review! It was very helpful, and I've decided to add this one to my WTR list!

Today's BOTD is a guide that falls into the health and nutrition genre. Its easy-to-understand explanations and scientific backing make this one that all readers can benefit from reading. I like that success stories and illustrations are also included throughout (even though some of the captions are difficult to read). Thank you again for the helpful review and keep up the great work!

[Satwik Mohanty]

I can say that most if not all of us have gained a little weight during the pandemic. And I think now is a good time to get things back on track. So this book would be perfect at times like this. Thanks for the detailed and thorough review!

[Kanika Tandon]

I like what you said about motivation being the biggest factor when it comes to health. It is not about how rich you are and more options are available to certain section of people. If you are motivated and determined to achieve your set goals then nothing cpuld stop you. I also like that authors made sure to use simple language to put their point accross. Great review!

[ej_author]

That's great that the authors were able to approach such a common topic with an engaging tone! This sounds like it would be an informative and motivational book; I'm just not too keen on the evolutionary biology focus.

[Adelee Grobler]

My question is, do they teach you how to gain weight healthily? A lot of these healthy books focus on losing weight, and I see that your review says that it teaches you how to be healthy without making a big dent in your wallet. I also agree with the author that you can’t blame civilization if you misbehave and make choices that’s bad for your health.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

This is an interesting non-fiction health book highlighting overnutrition, underactivity, circadian rhythm (sleep disruption), and stressful lifestyles. The book has a free sample on Amazon Kindle and has a well-written OnlineBookClub review. Congrats on the BOTD selection.

[Brenda Creech]

This sounds like an interesting book and it sounds like the authors did a lot of research to put it all together! The only issue I have with the book is the quote you shared from it in paragraph two that says, "If overeating is harmful to your health, "civilization" is not to blame if someone decides to "misbehave." There is the stereotype society has about overweight people! Not everyone who is overweight is that way from overeating! Thank you for the excellent review!

[AntonelaMaria]

Excuses are something easily found when debating a healthier lifestyle. I will check this book out to see what authors have in mind when discussing these factors we all can agree are closing us harm. Great job with the review.