By Jane Butterfield

This could be a book review, but it’s much more. It’s a testimonial- a testimonial from someone who just lost 5 pounds in three days on the South Beach Diet.

It’s also about freedom. I am free forever from my crazy addiction to refined carbohydrates and trans-fats. The South Beach Diet is phenomenol.

This is one of those books that is hard to put down. If you don’t buy The South Beach diet, you will regret it. I guarantee you will want to read it cover to cover the minute you get it in the house.

This book is fun to read. It’s full of solid nutritional information, useful charts and the latest medical information. It’s also full of testimonials, witty anecdotes and recipes from four-star restaurants. It even has an index. Like a food encyclopedia. What a bargain.

The author of The South Beach Diet is Arthur Agatston, M.D. Agatston is, a cardiologist to the “string bikini crowd” in South Miami Beach, Florida. Agatston is also a prolific author and associate professor of cardiology at the University of Miami.

In recent years, Agatston took on the medical establishment, which is notorious for junk science. In the process, Agatston authored more than 100 scientific articles published in such prestigious medical journals as the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Cardiology. Though in his late 50’s, Doctor Agatston looks like he’s 35. After all, it is Miami.

The book charts an interesting story of intrigue and deception. Back in the dark ages of American medicine, (the 70’s) our illustrious leaders bet their chips on the low-fat, high carbohydrate diet spawned by the American Heart Association. That was when our governments immortalized this faulty thinking in the now defunct food pyramid.

With time, the low—fat, high carb diet proved to be a fiasco- not surprising since there was no research to support it.

The food pyramid disposed of the good fats, along with the bad ones., and replaced healthy protein with loads of refined sugar, white flour and trans fats. What a deal. Even the physicians got sick following the American Heart Association’s guidelines!

Then along came Arthur Agaston, along with a handful of enlightened and courageous physicians who said enough is enough. The rest is history..

If you want to learn more about this wonderful diet, you will have to read it yourself in the New York Times #1 Bestseller, The South Beach Diet. Buy a copy for a friend, and, be sure to try the recipes. They were developed by top chefs from five star restaurants all over Miami.

You even get to like eating dessert again! So, be sure to try the fresh strawberries dipped in smooth, bittersweet chocolate, or the pistachio bark recipe. What a painless way to kick the habit, and live.