The Doctor's new prescription

It's a unique case for the local book market: a 300-page science tome on evolutionary keys and behavioural patterns takes on shelves of IT, how-to, travel and teen-book titles and becomes a best-seller.

"Rueng Lao Jak Rang Kai" (Tale of the Body), the debut publication of young oncologist Dr Chatchapol Kiatikajornthada, has now sold more than 20,000 copies through six editions. Its remarkable popularity is down to easy-to-understand language dotted with helpful illustrations that guide readers through 37 chapters explaining everything from a healthy diet to steamy sexuality. 

Each chapter starts by raising a question, before explaining the clear and logical answer. The logic behind human behaviour is explained by way of comparison with other animals, which sheds light on topics such as why sex is pleasurable, and the reasons for infidelity between males and females.

"Although the book deals with scientific topics, I didn't want it to be boring like a textbook," says Dr Chatchapol, 38, a graduate of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

After going on to study therapeutic radiology and oncology at Siriraj Hospital, he taught there for a year before taking an internship in the US.

"Science is the basis of the study of medicine," says Chatchapol, explaining his enthusiasm. "I hope my book can generate real interest in science among the public at large."

Chatchapol began taking notes for the book while in the US four years ago and after returning home, decided to start writing full-time. A year later he gambled his Bt2-million savings on the printing, and had his first book on the shelves.

"People said it wouldn't sell, and kept telling me to play it safe and return to hospital work. But I wanted to give it a shot!"

He's now working on his second book "Hed Phol Khong Thammachat" (Reasons of Nature), which launches in two weeks' time at the Thailand Book Expo. Nine-thousand copies of this 190-page follow-up have been printed, and he's put up another Bt500,000 of his own money.

Chatchapol took time out for a chat with us.

You look a lot younger than your age? What's your scientific secret?

There's no secret. Just the same old boring stuff - eat right (seasonal, whole foods, and everything in moderation), exercise, don't over-stress, get enough sun, and plenty of sleep at night. The power of nature doesn't come in a pill but in whole foods. I don't take supplements.

Can drinking coffee make us look older? 

I have never come across any strong evidence. Caffeine in coffee might dehydrate you but if you drink something else during the day, you will be rehydrated.

On the other hand, there are hundreds of studies that show moderate amounts of coffee (without sugar, of course) can be part of a healthy diet. Studies show that drinking coffee correlates with a lower incidence of diabetes, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc. But if you don't like coffee, it's not worth drinking it. 

If we want to go vegetarian, how should we eat to maintain full health?

Humans are omnivores, which means we evolved to eat meat and plants. If you really want to be a vegetarian, you need to educate yourself on basic nutrition. Many vegetarians substitute meat with carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates, which are really bad for your health. 

Basically, if you want to be a vegetarian you have to eat a variety of foods - nuts, beans, green vegetables, mushrooms, and you might consider taking supplements, especially vitamin B12. 

Variety of whole foods is the key.

Do certain blood types carry a greater risk of cancer and heart disease?

There are some blood types linked to some cancers and there's some evidence that certain blood types might carry lower risk of heart disease than others, but the correlation is weak.

The way you live your life is way more important [than blood type].

Having said that, genes that define your blood group might be used as one factor to predict your risk of disease in the future.

Is it necessary to eat certain foods and avoid others based on our own blood type?

The short answer is NO. This notion is theoretically sound but practically flawed. 

It's true that our genetics influence how we respond to the food we eat, but to stratify people based on just blood type is way too simplified. Nutrigenetics (or "eat right for your genes") is a new and fast-growing field but it is too early to offer specific nutrition advice based on genes or blood types. 

Is it true that breakfast is the most important meal? And should it also be the biggest meal of the day?

It depends … If you want to lose weight, it's probably safe to say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A good breakfast can help control your appetite during the day, while skipping breakfast might even cause your body to accumulate more fat for the same calorie intake.

Breakfast is also very important for kids. A child's body and brain rely on a regular intake of calories and nutrients to grow.

Many of us have heard the phrase "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper". This phrase is conventional wisdom at best, not a scientific fact. I personally believe that moderation is the key for every meal of the day.

The so-called caveman/Paleo diet - heavy on meat, devoid of most grains -- is growing in popularity. What do you think about it? 

The Paleo diet is not just another fad diet but is based on rigorous scientific research. But to say that the Paleo diet is the way we should eat to alleviate modern health problems is far from the truth.

Like many other scientific theories, there is still much we don't understand, and that includes getting rid of grain from our diet. The idea is based on the fact that our ancestors ate mostly meat until the advent of agriculture and grain-eating around 10,000 years ago - which is a blink of the eye in evolutionary terms.

But before you start devouring bacon or steak, remember that the game meat our ancestors ate is totally different from the steak on your plate. The animals that roamed the prehistoric savannahs eating fresh grass were different from the animals we breed to be fat, lazy and tasty. 

Health experts traditionally recommend we drink at least eight glasses of water a day, but there's a debate that drinking too much water can actually be dangerous. So how much should we drink?

First of all, the conventional wisdom that we should drink at least eight glasses has no scientific basis - but it will do you no harm either.

The amount of fluid we need varies from day to day according to how much you sweat, your health condition, etc. 

The simplest way to know you are drinking enough is you make sure you don't feel thirsty too often during the day and that you produce slightly yellow (straw-coloured) urine.

Cycling is a growing trend. Does it increase the risk of testicular cancer?

No, not at all. 

Is it true that women have a higher pain threshold than men?

No, women and female mammals usually have a lower pain threshold than males. 

If you think about it, that makes sense in evolutionary terms. Most female mammals invest more time and energy in having and raising babies, so it's better, in evolutionary terms, for females to be cautious and sensitive to any pain or danger. On the other hand, risk-taking males will have more offspring - that's why males usually tolerate pain better than females.

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- "Hed Phol Khong Thammachat", the second book by Chatchapol, will launch at BookExpo Thailand 2011, at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre from October 5 to 16.

- The shop launch for the book will be held on October 28 at Kinokuniya bookstore, Siam Paragon. 

- Visit www.facebook.com/ChatchapolBook

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