The Diet Compass: The 12-Step Guide to Science-Based Nutrition for a Healthier and Longer Life

The answer to all questions about aging and nutrition.

When science journalist Bas Kast collapsed with chest pains when he was only 40, he was faced with an existential question: had he ruined his health with junk food?

He decided to radically change his eating habits in order to heal himself. But what is really good for you? This was the beginning of a journey of discovery into the latest research into aging and nutrition―and it lasted several years.

What do people with a particularly long life span eat? How can you lose weight efficiently? Are afflictions typical of old age avoidable? Can you “eat yourself young” with certain foods? Much of what we think is healthy can even be harmful. Bas Kast has compared thousands of sometimes contradictory studies to deliver scientifically founded findings about what really makes for healthy eating.

Bas Kast was born in 1973, and studied psychology and biology in Constance, Bochum, and Boston. He works as a science journalist and author. His publications include I Do Not Know What I Want (2012), and And Suddenly CLICK! (2015).

David Shaw works as a journalist for Germany’s international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, as well as translating from several languages, including German, Dutch, Russian, and French. He lives in Berlin.