here’s a sneak preview!
i’m very hopeful about seeing results from applying some of the info i learned from this book. i really, really want to believe everything Kimberly Synder says. she’s gorgeous; how could you not?
this book ultimately revolves around:
-digestion: what’s easy/hard to digest, how eating hard-to-digest food can result in toxins from a backed-up liver being eliminated through your skin.
-food pairing.
-the order in which you eat. alkaline first, always (like fruits, veggies).
-dramatically increasing the amount of alkaline foods in your diet.
-three phases of diet transition with sample week-long meal plans for each.
that said, there are some points in here that are a little hard to digest (no pun intended!). not because i don’t think they’re valid possibilities, but only because they go against so much i’ve heard all my life. this is the first place i’ve ever read that our bodies can derive protein from the amino acids in plant sources, not just what we typically think of as protein sources. and beans, because they’re a starch and a protein, are not a “beauty food?”
i don’t really feel better when nuts are my only protein source, so i’m not going that far. and i don’t know how well the smoothies/food prep is going to work when the fall semester starts, but i’m going to do my best.
here are a few of the small changes i want to work on now, inspired by the book:
-reducing all oils, even olive oil, and making coconut oil my go-to.
-reducing vinegars and using apple cider vinegar instead. other vinegars are apparently acid-forming.
-big salads with dark, leafy greens way more often.
so should you buy it? i think this book is a good overall value if you want:
-to learn how to make your entire diet more clean, for good. this is not a week-long cleanse. lifestyle is a more appropriate word than diet.
-a volume of information about how your diet can affect your appearance (hair/skin/nails).
-to transition to eating significantly more raw foods and are curious about how to do it. but this is not strictly a raw food diet. cooked foods like grains and veggies are included, and animal protein can be a part of your diet.
-a section of recipes that have, so far, all turned out really well.
-to reduce dairy, gluten, and soy intake. however, food is very psychological, and if you know you’re going to miss certain things, having replacements and alternatives can be helpful.
i do like her emphasis on gradual transition while improving your diet and empowering words of encouragement. it’s a challenge if you are an all-or-nothing kind of person, like i am, to not have the time/budget to jump in completely. but i need to accept that continually making small improvements for the sake of your health and state of mind is okay.
