Synopsis

1. Our beloved Earth is at a tipping point. The choices we make about what we eat don’t just impact our health—they ripple out to affect the planet we all share. In a world where dietary risk factors contribute to over half of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S.—including heart disease and cancer—and where obesity, pre-diabetes, and global malnutrition are more alarmingly common, it’s clear that the status quo isn’t sustainable. Add to this the devastating environmental toll of global animal agriculture, which accounts for 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes up to 80% of agricultural land. Thus, contributing to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

2. So how do we shift toward a future where we can sustainably and healthfully feed 10 billion people by 2050 while honoring the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement? This groundbreaking cookbook offers a hopeful answer. Part cookbook, part action plan, Empowered Kitchen brings together over 100 vibrant, delicious, & plant-forward recipes alongside actionable strategies for reducing your carbon footprint. Sourced from the collective wisdom of 25+ experts—including physicians, chefs, dietitians, farmers, and environmentalists—this book bridges the gap between individual wellness and planetary health. It’s not about being anti-animal but pro-planet, helping you make mindful choices that nourish your body and the Earth.

• We showcase whole-food plant-forward recipes from our experts that are seasonal, balanced, nutritious, and culturally diverse.
• Our experts share how eating unhealthfully leads to the top chronic lifestyle-related diseases that we face. 
• We explore topics such as food access, food inequities, and how even poor soil health and our current agricultural system contribute to our modern health and environmental status. 
• We share strategies to help mitigate our top dietary/lifestyle risk factors while reducing our carbon footprint impact.

3. Dr. Colin Zhu, a board-certified Lifestyle Medicine physician, certified health coach, plant-based chef, and author, leads this collaborative effort, joined by over 25 co-authors from diverse fields. With his guidance and expertise, this book offers a dynamic roadmap to eating, living, and making a difference—one conscious meal at a time. If you care about your health, your family’s future, and the planet, this is the book you’ve been waiting for. Dive in, and be part of the solution.

Sales arguments

• We currently live in a world where modifiable dietary risk factors contribute to more than half of the top 10 causes of death in the US, the two leading are that of heart disease and cancer. We live in a world where 1 of out 3 Americans are pre-diabetic and about 72% of Americans are overweight and 40% are obese.
• We live in a world where we have abundant sources of calorie-rich ultra-processed and animal-based foods and yet 88% of the countries in the world face a burden of 2 or 3 forms of malnutrition. Unhealthy dietary patterns also contribute to 11 million premature deaths per year globally.
• Our collective social media platforms are about 41 K at the time of this writing. I have been featured in several publications, such as US News and World Report, Brit + Co, Healthline, Prevention Magazine, Self Magazine, and Medical Economics.
• 25+ co-authors and I will leverage our social networks to spread the word about this book.
• Dr. Zhu holds three leadership roles including the Board of Directors for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, a professional medical organization dedicated to making Lifestyle Medicine the foundation of all healthcare.

Similar titles

• Food is the Solution, Matthew Prescott, March 20, 2018, Flatiron Books. This is very similar to ours. Tying food with community and planetary health. However, ours will have voices from over 25 experts. We will dive deeper into common chronic diseases and how unhealthy eating detriments our individual ecosystems as well as our environmental living ecosystems.
• The Food Revolution, John Robbins, March 16, 2021, Conari Press. This books seems to be similar in terms of the benefits of plant-based eating and making conscious food choices. He dives into food politics too. We are similar for sharing plant-based eating and its benefits but we tie its connection on how it also impacts our environment and carbon footprint. We dive deeper into how poor eating leads to chronic diseases and how our modern agriculture contributes to individual health & planetary health.
• Sustainable Kitchen, Jaynie McCloskey & Heather Wolfe, Sept 22, 2020, Herald Press. Similar in terms of creating more conscious plant-based meals and communities, written by a home cook and nutritionist. Seems to talk less about environmental impact. We will have MDs, Chefs, RDs, Farmers and environmental experts contributing.

Audience

This book is written for adults from ages 25 - 65 men and women because studies show that chronic lifestyle-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and certain cancers such as colorectal cancers are afflicting younger demographics. The book welcomes all ages, but as a practicing physician, it is imperative to be as preventative as possible as early as possible to make sustainable changes.

Advance praise

“Colin, you are such a pro in the kitchen. Watching you prepare food is like watching Michael Jordon play basketball. Thanks for the privilege of observing you. You, your medical knowledge, communication skills, and cooking prowess, combined with your sweet, healing nature make you a gift to us all.” - Dr. Michael Klaper. 

“All the usual adjectives apply...smart, capable, knowledgable, etc... He's a fine clinician, practices good, evidence based medicine. But Colin stood out. There's something different about him. He's a pleasure to be with, warm, personable and energetic. His experience as a chef, world traveler, and his athletic and social skills render him quite the Renaissance man. He also showed fine leadership qualities during the time I worked with him at the IHS in Las Vegas. I would recommend him for a clinical or academic position anywhere in the world. I think he would fit just as easily in a Park Avenue high society practice as he did working with me at the Indian Health System. In summary, he's a real mensch.” - Ed Shanik, MD

“Dr Colin Zhu is paving the way for plant-based diet and plant based way of living. He is knowledgeable and passionate. He practices his truth, whether it is in medicine or culinary. I have learned a lot from him as a practitioner myself, applying his knowledge in my own office. Dr Zhu is always striving to improve your physical and mental health in some way just through conversation. You can tell he cares about each person he meets. I am glad to have met him and continue to seek and follow his message.” — Dr. Khani Nguyen

My previous book Thrive Medicine reviews: 

• ★★★★★

  “I wanted to share with you that I sent our son your book. I just received a text from him which read, The Obstacles section of the Thrive Medicine Book nailed it! I guess it really resonates with him. It's also interesting that he just texted, on his 28th Birthday, while he is currently on a team bus with his Minor League team on their way to Portland, Maine. I love that he is reading on the bus and very happy it was your book!
  Thank you for writing it!” - P.E.

• ★★★★★

  “This book not only helped motivate me to live life to fullest, but it also taught me to have better relationships with others and myself. “Thrive Medicine” has shown me the best way to do so is to start looking at things inward instead of outward. Dr. Zhu did a great job at breaking down these processes into easy steps. I find myself becoming more aware of my health, mind, and body. It is not something that is easy to do, so I encouraged everyone to look back on the book every now and then.”
  – Quan 

• ★★★★★

  “Engaging stories. Invitations to act at the end of every chapter. Insightful principles which, as I’ve applied, have helped me more than physically, but emotionally and spiritually. Thank you Dr. Zhu for sharing your experiences and hard earned knowledge!”
  – Fellow Medical Doctor

• ★★★★★

  “This book is not only a very digestible set of strategies that anyone can approach and implement into their life with sensible expectations, but also a representation of the authors own journey and self-affirmations that helped him battle depression and spiritual emptiness to a life filled with gratitude. An honest book of both evidence-based and anecdotal accounts of self betterment that anyone can gain value from.”
  – Cronin83

• ★★★★★

  “Authentic and genuine. Colin Zhu has a neat and organized approach to helping you live your best life in this book. He helps you gear your own roadmap and has note taking sections at the end of every chapter to help you be more of an active reader and learner. There is a chapter on love and forgiveness which I found to be very informative and perhaps a lot of people can learn from. This is an inspirational and well-written book that could be read during different times of life and still continue to be applicable.”
  – Farnoush

• ★★★★★

  “This book is amazing! This is one of my favorite books so far. It makes you think about what you are doing now! Talks about many issues we face in life. Dr.Zhu author of the book also shares his experiences and how he overcome his struggles. I recommend this book. It will change one thing about you.”
  – Sandy Pinilla

• ★★★★★

  So many great things to say about Dr. Zhu and this book. 1. It's an easy and thought provoking read that gently yet directly ushers you toward living life in the present moment, grounded in gratitude. He offers great examples and questions to guide you on your own journey. 2. The way Dr. Zhu integrates and illustrates his personal stories with such detail is such a treat. I felt like I was there in those moments with him. 3. The idea of addressing the "chatterbox" was powerful, basically an accumulation of all the voices/stories impacting how we live/think/feel today. Read the book for more details :)
  – Jai