Book Club
with a focus on helping you reduce inflammation in the body!
If you’ve been following my work for a while you’ll know how systemic inflammation is often the missing piece of the puzzle for so many seemingly unrelated symptoms and diseases - brain fog, PMS, arthritis, low mood, anxiety, hormone imbalances and food allergies and intolerances just to name a few - and how absolutely vital it is to reduce levels of inflammation in order to tackle these issues. So today I’m going to share with you some great resources to help with just that. These are three books that I have on my shelf and that I love to pick up regularly for recipe inspiration, new mindfulness ideas and gut health troubleshooting. I hope that they inspire you as much as they do me!
1. The Doctors Kitchen by Dr Rupy Aujla
If you’re looking for delicious, healthy plant-based recipes, then this is the book for you. Being plant-focused rather than completely vegan means there is something for everyone, and the recipes can be adapted to suit individual dietary requirements. Eating a diet rich in plant foods is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which has been extensively researched for its ability to reduce inflammation and improve gut health (you can read more about the Mediterranean diet in one of my previous articles here); plant foods are also high in essential vitamins, minerals and fibre which all play beneficial roles in reducing inflammation and associated symptoms. Inspired by his Indian background, Dr Rupy includes a variety of inspiring and flavourful recipes for breakfast, sides, mains, desserts and dressings and pastes, all of which make plants the star of the show. My favourite anti-inflammatory recipes from the book include middle eastern mackerel with green hummus, whole roast broccoli with a zesty masala dressing and matcha and ginger ice cream (yum!).
2. Eat Yourself Healthy by Dr Megan Rossi
You’ll often hear me talking about the importance of gut health in inflammation - for very good reason. Most of our immune system is located in our guts and because of this, it controls not just the digestion and absorption of nutrients from our food, but much of our response to the world around us, which influences the levels of inflammation in the body - it even plays an important role in our mental health (to take a deeper dive into the role of the gut, head to my article on leaky gut syndrome here). This is why Dr Megan Rossi’s book is my second must-have book recommendation. Not only does she explain the complex workings of the gut in an easy-to-understand format, but Dr Megan Rossi also offers plenty of practical tips for improving the health of your gut, including sleep hygiene protocols, bowel-training exercises and advice on managing specific gut issues, such as IBS, bloating and acid reflux. A fab additional feature of the book is the range of gut-friendly recipes included, such as the banana, fig and courgette breakfast loaf and quinoa sushi rolls - alongside instructions on how to make your own fermented foods!
3. Slow by Jo Peters
Stress was the focus of my last 2-part article series, because stress is one of the biggest contributors to systemic inflammation for so many of us (if you’ve not read them yet, you can link back to the articles here). That’s why I fell in love with Slow by Jo Peters. This book is all about finding peace and purpose in a hectic world, by exploring practical ways to slow down, allowing you to be present, reconnect with yourself and in turn, calm your mind and inflammation. It includes everything you might expect, such as yoga, meditation and nutrition, but it also includes a whole host of other ideas to be ‘slow’ that you may not have considered before, including how to be present in your relationships, ways to enjoy nature and how to work at a slower, calmer pace. It is also an absolute pleasure to read owing to the beautiful photos and graphics - well designed to make you slow down even while enjoying the book! While not strictly a recipe book, it does contain a few delicious ‘slow food’ recipes, including foraged wild garlic pesto and an autumn vegetable paella, that will no doubt be a pleasure to create and eat.
Have you read any of these books, or do you have recommendations for books you love? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear what you think.