On my quest for the perfect diet that will optimize my body's ability to heal, I have come across many books that promise such results. Of course, most fall short in conveying adequate information about how the body functions with regards to nutrition, and many others are just jam packed with difficult recipes which seem better suited for a chef (which I am not). However, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found in the Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book.
Written by Jessica K. Black N.D, trained at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, the book does approached inflammation through a holistic and nutritional approach. Increased inflammation in the body results in many chronic health conditions such as heart disease, chronic pain syndromes, and diabetes. And, according to the book, "seven of every ten Americans who die each year, die of a chronic disease." (pg. 39) Therefore, in my journey to optimal health and wellness, I decided to embark on learning more about this Anti-Inflammation Diet 'revolution'.
The Anti-Inflammation diet itself stresses what seems to be an obvious approach to eating habits; no sugar, alcohol, or caffeine. Avoid possible food sensitives like gluten and dairy, but focus on eating plenty of fruits, veggies, and grains. Food habits like these are not revolutionary, but following such a diet in our over caffeinated and sugared culture is quite difficult. The diet itself can be broken down into a simple format depicted in this Anti-Inflammation Food Pyramid created by Dr. Andrew Weil.
The diet is helpful in living a healthy life and preventing chronic diseases, but it should be stated that each person has an individual biochemistry - meaning that not all diets are created as a one size fits all. And diet alone will not 'cure' every ailment. However, the information provided in this book was helpful in understanding the effects of inflammation of the body. What I enjoyed the most about the Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book is the Jessica Black added helpful charts for example meal plans as well as a substitutions chart for cooking without food such as wheat, eggs, butter, etc. Each substitution chart provides helpful alternatives in baking if one is cutting out dairy or gluten. For example, if you are trying to make a recipe that calls for milk, you can substitute the milk for any alternative such as almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc. These charts are essential in simplifying the baking process and making it much easier to learn how to cook healthy, nutrient packed meals.
Overall, I found the recipes in the book to be some of the most useful I have ever come across. They do not seem as intimidating as many other health food recipes I have tried in the past and many use simple ingredients that can be found in your kitchen or cupboard. In conclusion, I would have liked more of an in depth coverage of the properties of an Anti-Inflammation Diet and how nutrition plays a role in impacting our overall health and vitality, but the usefulness of the recipes in the back, as well as the sample meal plans and charts, saves this book from being passable.
Finding a diet that fits your unique biochemistry and body is difficult and can often be a long journey. I do not follow the Anti-Inflammation Diety strickly because I find that I personally require more sources of protein in order to function properly, but I have committed to cutting out sources of cane sugar for my food sources.
I do hope that this information is helpful to all of my readers out there! I will continue to dedicate my time to researching new, healthy ways to empower the body to heal itself.
For more information about Jessica Black N.D. please visit her website at the following link:
http://drjessicablack.com/
Until next time,
Feast From Within
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