Customer Reviews

The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies - and More

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you're looking for a good book on eating an anti-inflammation diet, this would be a good pick. I knew basically nothing about anti-inflammation food until I read it. You can roughly split the book in two parts. The first one explains how an anti-inflamation diet works.

The second part? Well, let me put it like this. The book is about 240 pages long- and the recipes start on page 55 and go to page 225- so just know that the vast majority of this book is a lot of recipe suggestions. Don't get me wrong- I consider this to be a big plus. Another good thing is that it gives you eating plans for both the winter and summer months- which helps a lot when you're trying to stick with the diet.

So if you want to learn more about eating an anti-inflammation diet, this bookwill certainly help you out. By the end, you'll know what to eat, and what not to eat. And readers looking for more ways to help their arthritis might also want to check out Treat Your Own Knee Arthritis.

I read about nutrition every day and have a library of texts on the various subjects. I am a researcher by profession and an avid 'truth seeker' about nutrition and health. I have read many texts concerning inflammation (probably the greatest new area of medical research in the next 20 years, excluding cancer - which also has a good deal in common with inflammation issues) and this is a book that I would recommend above all the others. It has good solid accurate information concerning the many causes of inflammation and the ways to counter act the body's state of inflammation. There is information in this text that I have never found anywhere else (i.e.: What CANOLA OIL is really all about!). The details surrounding the condition of inflammation in the body are more complete and concise here. If you are going to buy one good book on inflammation - this would be the one to buy. (Save your money on "Inflammation Nation" - I wish that I had not wasted mine purchasing it.)

Having just prepped my tofu using the baked tofu recipe in this book, I thought maybe it worth the time to write a review. Early on in life, I had IBS - was told in my teens about the importance of diet changes, about not eating the nightshade veggies, no deep fried food, etc. But in this very active, busy, and wonderful life, I ended up making minimal changes to my diet, finding that if I avoided red meat, fried food, and peanuts, I wouldn't get sick. Well, these past few years I have been hit hard with Psoriatic arthritis - though it took a while to even get that diagnosed correctly. First it was psoriasis- not a spot until after 40, when it then spread over my scalp, legs, and my arms - then 2 hip replacements, etc. So after the latest (shoulder) surgery, I decided it was time to get serious, and look at the food issue once more. I love my cheese, crackers, chips, and chardonnay - almost too much. I'm also a teacher, wife, and mom to 2 young guys, who's involved in animal rescue. Time is tight in our family. I've read up quite a bit on the anti-inflammation diet info, and have found some contradictions, and also just can't bring myself to drinking horrible tasting tea concoctions, giving myself enemas, etc. I also do not like to cook, much less have time for it. Let's add, no self-discipline.

So given all that, this book really helped me to change my life in a wonderful way. She gives very reasonable, clear information on what foods to avoid, and which ones to include in your diet in easy to read charts. Using this book over the others, I've been able to make changes to my diet, lose 13 pounds in two months without thinking I'm on a diet, and go without using Enbrel or other meds that lowered my immune system. My psoriasis is clear on my legs and arms - still working on the scalp - and I feel and look great. What I've done instead - with my doctor's blessing - is
*replace the meds with fish oil supplements, prescribed so they are clear of any contaminants, and take vitamin c, d, and calcium supplements
*Eliminate eating processed sugar, and avoid cane product in general - I have been shocked at the amount of sugar in our food!! and this has helped me revise my kids food, to decrease this with them as well in a way they can live with :) Honey, maple syrup, and molasses are ok
*Drink green teas
*Avoid, but not totally eliminate wheat products - just reduce, but eat whole grain food
*Reduce the amount of dairy I eat - I still need a little of my cheese!! :) But no milk - replace with soy/rice milk, careful to buy those that do not have cane sugar in them.
*Increase the amount of grain, veggies, fruits, and nuts - NO PEANUTS however - in my diet.
*Use only olive oil, or canola - even given what she stated about it... and coconut oil in baking
*Eliminate all nightshade veggies -these include potatoes (a tough one!!) tomatoes (also tough!) eggplant, among others.
*No alcohol for the first month, and now limit my intake to one glass, when going out with friends.
*I still have my morning cup of coffee

This book has helped me to make food changes for me and my family. My husband will always be a meat eater! but I'm able to make foods for all of us without a lot of extra effort. This book has done so much for me, and I'm grateful to the author for providing information that has helped me to create a huge positive change to my health and life. If you have been through anything similar to what I've been through, this book is definitely a great resource.

I really like the information in this book and the way that it is presented. However, when it comes to the charts that say "eat this" and "don't eat this", the Kindle version shows only the first column and part of the second. It's very frustrating to be entirely missing the information on what to avoid, in these listings. The sample menus are also nearly unreadable as you can't increase the font size to read the very tiny charts turned sideways and in faint ink. I'm able to get much of the information from the text, but when trying to figure out what's included (and NOT) in this diet, I wish the publishers would have looked over the Kindle version before putting this out.

This book has been a powerful resource in my practice for many years dating back to its original self-published version. I have found that foremost in the process of restoring a persons health is inflammatory reduction. It is this inflammation which often initiates and propogates a disease process that eventually creates pathology. Dr. Black's book is an essential tool for implementing my recommended dietary changes on a practical level. It is full of helpful educational material and ripe with a multitude of savory and delicious recipes. This book will give you all the necessary information to begin a positive lifestyle change which you can then apply to your own cullinary creations. For those people looking to restore health naturally, Dr. Black's book will not disappoint.

None of my doctors thought a "diet" would control the chronic pain in my hips due to inflammation of the bone marrow. For 2 1/2 years I have been suffering with chronic pain, mostly in my right hip and sometimes my lower back.

I have read other Anti-Inflammatory books before. Other books are good at convincing you that inflammation exists and shows medical backing on it's link to most diseases including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. This book cuts to the chase as if you have done most of your homework and provides a simple way to eat complete with recipes and a chart. This book to some people might seem scary because it is the strictest as far as food allowances but the payoff is immeasurable...and it is working for me! Many of the foods I was eating were what we considered healthy but they were toxic for my inflammatory condition.

I would recommend this book if you are serious about fighting inflammation. It has the recipes using their suggested best ingredients....nlike other books which allow sugar and flours, peanut products and alcohol. It is easy to rule these out and be strict for some time knowing you might solve your inflammation problem once and for all! After you give this diet a fair shot you can modify your diet based on how you feel.

I am full of gratitude for the simplicity of your research and this book. And more happy that I will NOT be facing the surgeon's knife or any synthetic drugs of any kind. Along with this diet and a juice recommended to me for inflammation...I am thankful for my health and my husband thinks I'm just about a different person!!

This book is about 1/3 diet advice and 2/3 recipes. Since the author advocates eliminating wheat from your diet, there are a number of wheat free recipes that might benefit those who are truly unable to tolerate this grain. Recipes all focus on healthy eating. The author takes the approach that since some people might be allergic to wheat, dairy, corn, peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes and a few other things, these foods should all be eliminated from the diet. This seems rather radical but if you are in poor health and suspect your diet might be the cause, the possibility of food allergy or intolerance is worth considering. It wouldn't be harmful to eliminate these potential problem foods for a few weeks to see if your health improves. But there is no reason to maintain such a rigid path of food avoidance if you aren't allergic to any of these foods -- many of which can be quite healthful. The author also jumps on the canola-conspiracy-theory bandwagon. If you like conspiracy theories, you'll be pleased with this book. Look up "canola oil" on any Urban Legend web site and see what this is about. If you want some good recipes and you can pick through the nutritional advice to find what suits you, you would do OK with this book.

A couple years ago I came to the clinic for help with some of my stomach issues and Dr. Jason helped me along and put me on the Anti-Inflammation Diet and suggested your book. I used it for a little while, but not strictly, it was hard because I was making meals seperatly for my husband as well, eventually I went along with my old routine.

This past Feb my mom and brother moved in with us to help with baby. Rececntly we realized we needed to do something about our diet, mainly myself and mom. She decided to join weight watchers, and I decided to go back to your book. So I started making meals and began to read to mom all the information and "tid bits" you provide. She got all gun ho with me and everyone in the house started to eat all the meals I prepared from the book, along with becoming more educated about what is happening in our bodies. My mom has a lot of health issues and I have some as well, we both have pretty bad cases of carpal tunnel, and mom would just wake up with every joint in her body aching. Since we've gone completely on this diet she wakes up feeling good! She went from having to take 3-6 vicadins a day to maybe 1 a day now, the pain went down that much in only two weeks. We both have less flare ups of carpal tunnel and all of us have so much more energy instead of feeling so sluggish. Along with all this we are both overweight. In the first week I lost 6lbs and mom lost 3lbs! By week two I lost 10 lbs! and mom lost 7lbs and my husband's lost 6lbs. It's ironic because mom hasn't even checked in with her weight watchers program, this diet is much more up our alley.

We get sucked into every recipe as there is a health tid bit at the end of every one, informing you about a specific ingredient and it's history and how it improves our health. We sit there just going through the recipes and reading all the interesting facts. It's one of the main attractions to the book that we wish other cookbooks would include as well. It's nice knowing what exactly your putting in your body. It's kind of turned into my food bible. I love going to the index and finding a specific food to read up on to see how its either beneficial or detrimental for me.

Thank you so much for putting together this book and bringing so much revelation to our lives. Five other friends of ours already have seen a difference in us and have or are going to buy the book for themselves and their families! I learned that the word Diet in it's original greek form means Way of Life. Thank you for our New Way of Life and whats going to be my daughter's and future children's ONLY Way of Life. We greatly appreciate it.

One of the most difficult challenges I have faced when suggesting to my patients on dietary modifications is offering patients alternatives to their inflammatory menus. Not only has Dr. Black provided easy to prepare and tasty recipes, but the ingredients serve their purpose: they favor pathways that decrease inflammation. Hence patients with intensely inflammatory conditions, such as rhumatoid arthritis, have been able to experience relief, thanks to this cookbook. It offers recipes that appeal to kids and provides ample educational material for patients to resource. It is the ideal cookbook for all.

I am a Naturopathic Physician and often counsel patients on smart food choices for their health concerns. A common denominator in many diseases is inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet will often stop the assault on the body and help bring people back into balance. I have used Dr. Black's book for patients dealing with: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohns Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Arthritis, Cardiovascular disease, Liver/Gallbladder dysfunction, Interstitial cystitis, Obesity, PMS and more. I even suggest it to people just looking for a healthy cook book- since everyone can benefit from eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and fish regularly. The first section in this book clearly educates the reader on how to take charge of their health through sound food choices. The recipes are easy to follow, delicious and written with a personal voice. I really appreciate Dr. Black's book because it makes my job as a physician easier when I can recommend this book and know my patients are in good hands.
Dr. Erika Siegel
Naturopathic Physician/ Acupuncturist
Portland, Oregon