I don't know much about Ferris nor have I read his book but I am very interested in what he has to say. I didn't know he was viewed as an 'Infomercial' type of guy but its not like the body can't be hacked.
There is the Atkins Diet, Caveman Diet, etc that go against the traditional nutritional advice. There as that one guy that recently watched TV in the morning and just that helped him control his appetite. (it was a story on here or Reddit I think) There was the woman who used eye training to give her depth perception that she had not had her whole life. There was the researcher in the 70s or 80s that wore glasses that inverted the light entering his eyes and he proved that within a week his brain adapted to it and he could function normally. Josh Waitzkin mentions being in the 'Zone' during a chess match when an Earthquake happened and he was so focused it was Zen like to him. There was an article today on researchers finding that sleep happens as areas of the brain shut down independently. Charlie Sheen went on a special workout and diet before Hot Shots Part Deux and gained 20-30 pounds of muscle while getting to under 10 percent body fat with in 4 to 6 months. Eating many small meals a day versus three square meals is supposedly healthier.
I'm not saying that Ferris is correct or a good man or anything like that. I am interested in what he has to say and as far as hacking the body I completely believe it is possible.
Heck, I was thinking of what the 30% strength gain could be and I figured it might be something like over-training a muscle group for several hours one day and then resting. Perhaps the body through evolution will direct more resources to repairing it as it might have in the evolutionary past because it assumes it is going to be needed again soon. Then on day two you get really angry or scared to release adrenaline to give speed, strength and cover any pain as you try and lift something. I don't know... but I know that the stuff talked about today nutritionally would seem crazy 100 years ago and the stuff now ill look crazy in 50 years.
"Come on! Get liposuction to release the natural stem cells in an adult body and then inject it into your heart during a bypass to increase your chance of survival 10 fold AND lowering your chance of complications?! Crazy!"