You may recognize Montel Williams as a talk show host, philanthropist, and author, but did you know that he's also a decorated former naval intelligence officer?  An advocate for teen empowerment, veterans' causes, anti-drug initiatives, and MS (multiple sclerosis) research funding--he founded The Montel Williams MS Foundation after a personal diagnosis of the disease in 1998.  You'll recognize his series of books about healthy living, the most recent--Living Well: 21 Days to Transform Your Life, Supercharge Your Health and Feel Spectacular.

Living Well incorporates experts and their current research, practical guides and advice, recipe examples, a walking program, and exercise demonstration photos with explanations.  The purpose of the book is not just to help readers lose weight, but rather live life more healthily.  This includes weight loss, exercise, and understanding what to eat.  

For this Montel follows The Living Well Code:

1.  Base your diet on a foundation of a rich variety of many different vegetables and fruits, especially in their fresh, natural, and whole states.

2.  Include healthy carbohydrates from whole grains and healthy fats and proteins from foods like fish, beans, and nuts.

3.  Minimize saturated and trans fats, sodium, processed foods, added sugars, and cholesterol in your diet.

4. Be mindful of your calories in and calories out, to work toward a healthy body weight.

5. Don't skip meals, deprive yourself, or go on fad diets.

6. Get regular physical activity, at least 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week.

7. Combine these steps and you can reduce your risk of many major diseases, such as:  cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, obesity, several forms of cancer, and other diseases including Alzheimer's, osteoarthritis, and macular degeneration.

Montel has completed quite a bit of research for Living Well.  One project though he says shoud be required reading for everyone: The Effects of Exercise and Diet on Chronic Disease by Christian K. Roberts, Ph.D. and R. James Barnard, Ph.D.  Western society is plagued with killer diseases, such as those listed by Montel, and they are rapidly increasing in developing countries.   The project looks at several prominent long term studies, and draws the data together.  The point is this--with lifestyle modication through exercise and healthy eating--most people can begin to turn their lives around and possibly prevent further bodily destruction to themselves.

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