Peace and Environment News* April 1996
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Peace and Environment News * April 1996 |
Food Fix: Meals That Heal
By Nancy Hamilton
Providence Road Press, Ottawa, 1996
Reviewed by Rachelle Thibodeau
Increasing numbers of people are taking seriously the relation between diet and health. Tired of trying to keep up with the latest food fads, more people are looking for simple, sensible ways of eating that are good for their health and easy on the environment, and they are finding that the two aims are compatible. Others are first led to healthier eating by an illness. While it is primarily to this second group that Food Fix is addressed, anyone wanting to switch to healthier, earth-friendly eating habits can enjoy this book, which is filled with simple vegetarian recipes.
Nancy Hamilton was a multiple sclerosis patient when she decided to take charge of her own health. In consultation with a naturopathic physician, she devised a food plan which would detoxify her body and make her well again. Her book targets people with a chronic illness, people whose dietary habits have contributed to their health problems. Food allergy sufferers will especially benefit from these wheat-, sugar-, and dairy-free recipes. Those with environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivities could also use this book as a starting point to develop an individualized diet plan, as could people with candida, celiac disease, or Crohn's disease.
The detoxification strategy suggested involves eliminating foods which are known triggers for many people, then gradually reintroducing them and monitoring reactions. According to Hamilton, our standard fare is heavily weighted in favour of wheat, dairy products, and sugar, and individuals need a fresh start to be able to rediscover which foods are best for them. If you have suspected food allergies, this is a safe and simple way of isolating the culprits. A key part of the detoxification process involves switching from overprocessed, pesticide-laden foods to more natural and organically grown foods, good advice for anyone wanting a healthy body and healthy environment.
The book is filled with simple, easy-to-follow recipes, which should present no challenge to even the most timid cook. A particularly useful feature of this book is the substitution guide, which makes the recipes easy to adapt to suit individual needs. I farmed out a few of the recipes to friends and family who had some experience with restricting their intake of wheat, sugar, and dairy products. All reports came back positive! Sesame Thins and Pumpkin Cookies were winners in the baked goods category, and the Creamy Vegetable Soup (yes, dairy-free!) and Oriental Grain Salad won raves from a gluten-intolerant family member. I couldn't resist trying the Parsnip and Carrot Korma and the Vegetarian Burgers (made with beets!). Both were excellent and easy to prepare.
This book should serve as a fine introduction to healthful eating, both for those who need to follow a restricted diet, and also for those of us whose recipe repertoire has grown a little stale over the years. The requirement to limit taken-for-granted ingredients provides the impetus to try something new, adding healthy variety to any diet.
Converted April 11, 2000 - Lg
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