How Not to Die details how a whole-food, plant-based diet prevents and reverses 15 leading killers: heart disease, cancers (lung/colon/prostate/breast), diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, liver disease, blood cancers, kidney disease, breast cancer, suicidal depression, prostate cancer, inflammatory conditions, and iatrogenic causes. It prescribes the "Daily Dozen"—beans, berries, other fruits, cruciferous vegetables, greens, other vegetables, flaxseeds, garlic, whole grains, nuts/seeds, herbs/spices, beverages, plus exercise and stress management—to deliver fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that outperform drugs by addressing root causes.