A book I recommend: Healing with Whole Foods

I often get asked about my favorite health and healing books on one subject or another and want to start sharing that information on this blog.

You see, I am skilled and capable at many things, however, I am only officially certified at a few:  I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in East European and Soviet Studies and Russian and I am a certified Dragon's Way and Breast Health Qigong instructor through the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation in New York City (I am sure the connection between the two is obvious to everyone).   In addition to the experience that comes from being the mother of seven children, much of what I know comes from wonderful, amazing books and the experts who write them.

As a young mother, non-fiction books became 'my thing' when I had little time for anything but the facts.  Through the years, I have become so passionate about learning everything I could about health and healing that my daughters, who love fiction, gave me an acclaimed fiction book for Christmas in hopes of me "expanding my horizon". (I have to confess I have started reading the book but haven't finished it but I have promised that I will).

My dream is to go to graduate school to study natural healing.  Perhaps when I do, one day I can become such an expert.  Until then, I will continue reading exceptional books which greatly help me and my family like Paul Pitchford's book Healing with Whole Foods:  Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition.

Paul Pitchford provides an excellent reference guide to the theory and healing power of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with his book Healing with Whole Foods:  Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition.  Today we are bombarded with confusing and conflicting information about how and what to eat.  It is difficult to know what the best choices really are.  I like Pitchford’s clear explanations about nutrition from the TCM perspective while simultaneously taking into consideration the modern nutritional model. He explains how our bodies became imbalanced eating certain foods and how they can become re-balanced once again by eating in a thoughtful, balanced way.

I find the sections which focus on specific foods particularly helpful.  For example, knowing that celery has a cooling thermal nature is helpful to the stomach, spleen & pancreas, calms an aggravated liver, helps with eye inflammation, burning urine, blood in the urine, acne and canker sores is extremely beneficial to those suffering with these conditions (p. 539).  Celery is inexpensive and easily accessible at any grocery store.  No prescription required.  The recipes and food preparation tips are a welcome bonus.  Food is often our most helpful ‘medicine’ and most powerful healer.  This is something we must not forget. I highly recommend this book!

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