I have always loved reading. It is a fantastic way to learn, expand your point of view, and come across new ideas and concepts. Reading gives you the opportunity to try new things and directions out. In this blog, I am sharing my favorite books about nutrition. These are books that have shaped my understanding of what healthy nutrition is all about, and have helped me create my current diet.

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, by Patrick Holford

“The New Optimum Nutrition Bible” by Patrick Holford was the very first book I read on nutrition many years ago. Throughout the years I have come to the conclusion, that we are all looking for the ONE healthy solution or diet. This is particularly what I like about this book – the author makes it very clear from the beginning that there is no one optimal nutrition for everyone. Instead each one of us needs to figure out what is the optimum nutrition for me, in order to promote (among others) my optimal physical & mental performance, as well as emotional balance. This book is not about recipes, but purely about understanding all the different aspects of healthy nutrition. Although at times the information can get a bit technical, it is still easy to read and understand. I also like that the author discuss the effect the different type of vitamin and mineral deficiencies have on our system and body, and how the different deficiencies are interrelated.

The Beauty Detox Foods, by Kimberly Snyder

A few years ago (by accident) I came across “The Beauty Detox Foods” book by Kimberly Snyder. This book has completely changed my view on nutrition. The reason for that, is because it explains in great detail how the different types of foods (such as dairy, meet, sugars, etc) affect our body, its functions, and our overall well being. This book is not about an easy “weight reduction” fix or a diet, it is about a lifestyle change with three different stages. The beauty of it is that it is up to each one of us to decide in which stage we feel most comfortable.  And on top of all that, it is a very easy to read and it has number of different delicious recipes.

The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell

If you are interested in understanding the effect nutrition has on our health, or understanding the relation between nutrition, cancer, diabetes and many other diseases, then I can strongly recommend the book “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell. This book looks at the largest nutrition study conducted to date and its results in detail. There is a lot of science (and statistics), and therefore not quite as easy to read. But if you really want to understand the relation between health and nutrition then this is the book to read.   

Crazy Sexy Diet, by Kris Carr

I come across more and more stories about people being diagnosed with rarer diseases, and after a while being able to cure themselves with making (significant) changes to their nutritional and lifestyle habits. I am fascinated by the fact that nutrition has such an amazing impact on the healing process in these cases……and I am even more amazed at how little we educate ourselves about nutrition and what healthy nutrition means!

That’s why I wanted to share with you a book by Kris Carr called “Crazy Sexy Diet”. In this book she is sharing her amazing story from being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer only at the age of 31, to all the nutritional and lifestyle changes she made in order to get her disease under control. Kris covers topics from her story, to the importance of raw and plant based diet; from the damaging effect animal and sugar products have on our body and health, to the importance of detoxing on regular basis; from the toxic effect a stressful lifestyle and cosmetic products have on our wellbeing, to the importance of daily meditation, slowing down and practicing yoga.

In addition, this book offers a guide to a “21-day adventure cleanse”, and number of recipes – from juices, to soups, salads, dressings, main courses and desserts.

Food – What The Heck Should I Eat?, by Mark Hyman

If you are new to the whole topic of healthy nutrition, I strongly suggest that you start with the book “Food – What The Heck Should I Eat?” by Mark Hyman. He helps you get clarity on the whole confusion around food, what is healthy and what is not so. Dr. Hyman gives you a complete overview of the different types of food (e.g. meat, dairy, veggies, etc), and what you should focus on, and things that you should leave out of your diet for good.

As I am constantly reading new books, I will make sure to update this list accordingly. In the meantime, I would love to hear from you – what nutrition books have changed your whole perspective on food, and which books you can recommend.

Stay healthy

Anna:)