The Healing Kitchen

Six months ago my sister bought two copies of “The Healing Kitchen” by Alaena Haber and Sarah Ballantyne. One was for her and one was for my sister in law and me to share. I just received the cookbook while I was recovering in the hospital. As always with Ballantyne’s book it was chalk full of valuable nutritional information about macronutrients and micronutrients. Of course, there are a ton of recipes. I have marked some that I am rewriting on recipe cards so that I can give the book back to my sister in law. Since my brother suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and has issues with gluten their family has started the process of paleo. I’m so happy that my family is taking steps in taking their health seriously.

Here are the things that I love about this book:

• When you have an autoimmune disease, gut issues, joint issues nightshades such as tomatoes, paprika, eggplant, peppers, and potatoes need to be avoided in your diet. I have been eliminating the nightshades from my diet and my body is thankful for it. I do however, every so often have a yummy garden tomato. For me that is not enough to cause a flare up in me. Everyone’s body is different.
• Cooking can be a labor of love. The process of seeing something come out of your garden and then prepared and put on a plate for you to enjoy to eat brings a sense of happiness to my soul. I’m feeding my body what it needs to function well.
• Micronutrients and Macronutrients are equally as important as the other. The Government mandated eating plan focuses too much on the Macronutrients and not enough on the micronutrients. That needs to change.
• You can do anything with a well-stocked spice and herb rack. That is my goal.
• In order to move forward in your health getting out of the rut of thinking that you can’t change is the first step one needs to take on their healing journey.
• I really appreciate the pictures. That way I know what the end result looks like.

Looking through The Healing Kitchen while I was recovering from my surgery in the hospital gave me an idea about how I want the next steps of my healing journey to be. Now that my throat is fixed enough to where breathing is not going to be an on and off again process I now know that I can fully commit myself to eating well and moving my body in the ways that I need too. That just like with my tracheal stenosis I found people to guide me through the medical process that I will have those who will guide me through the physical health goals that I have for myself. Anyone who wants to go deeper into the Paleo eating plan this is a good book to do that. Actually, all of Sarah Ballantyne’s books are great.