The Self Healing Cookbook : A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole, Natural Foods

I turned to macrobiotics after learning of wheat and sugar sensitivities. My list of foods was so restrictive that I wasn't sure what I would be able to eat -- or if anything would even taste good! This book makes the challenging topic of macrobiotics seem easy (yin, yang, expansive, contractive, etc.). Kristina Turner knows that all we want to do is feel good -- and enjoy our food! She offers tips on how to: -Tell if our bodies need healing -Stay in slim mode -Shift our moods -Create an easy shopping list -Work with leftovers -Prevent imbalance -Understand all of the confusion around food & nutrition One thing to keep in mind: Macrobiotics does not emphasize the use of spices. This can mean that foods could taste a little bland. Turner's recipes are for the most part, tasty. However, you may want to be creative with spices (if your diet allows you to do this) in order to get the flavor that you want. After studying many healthy forms of eating (Ayurvedics, whole food, macrobiotics, conscious eating, ph diet, raw foods, etc.), I found Turner's book one of the best and easiest beginner books on good, sound nutrition. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the food-mood-health connection.

If you are wanting to explore macrobiotics without giving your life over to cooking, this is the BEST book for you! I fell upon this book about six or seven years ago in our local health food store, and it started me on a beautiful journey of exploring macrobiotics. This cookbook GENTLY explains the use and function of ingredients which might at first seem "strange", but which grow to be comforting "cookfellows" after the author introduces you to their healing powers and how to tastefully unlock them.The recipes are simple and GOOD. For those with a sweet tooth who are looking to "tame" it, the dessert recipes offer a gentle transition to healthier sweetness. And always, throughout, the emphasis on BALANCE and on WHOLE FOODS easily couples with the wonderful explanations of macrobiotic thought and philosophy.The other book which I would highly recommend (for a bit more advanced study) is AVELINE KUSHI'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO MACROBIOTIC COOKING. There is no better or more complete explanation of macrobiotic philosophy and of macrobiotic cooking methods (traditional ones) than those in this book. If I could have only two cookbooks, THE SELF-HEALING COOKBOOK and AVELINE KUSHI'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO MACROBIOTIC COOKING would be the two books which I would cling to for dear life.

I was introduced to this book approximately 3 years ago and I believe it has since changed my life, along with affecting the lives of some friends and family members. I read The Self-Healing Cookbook cover to cover but it contains so much useful information that I am constantly referring back to it. I have used many of the recipes and have shared the creations with others. We've all really enjoyed the flavors and more importantly, loved the way we felt after consumption. The Self-Healing Cookbook thoroughly covers the essential foundation of a healthy & balanced diet, based on Macrobiotic principles. Furthermore, it details the beneficial properties of many different foods, contains suggestions on how to prepare them, and even explores the seasons in which we should focus on different foods for specific reasons. And then there is the personal touch to it which of course makes this book all the more appealing. It is for that reason that I've felt compelled to gift it with so many friends (including my mother) for whom I felt would share my enthusiasm on this wonderfully fulfilling topic, SELF HEALING WITH FOOD.

I found this book by accident several years ago, when I was looking to find ways to eat more healthily. It really did the trick. The recipes here for beans and vegetables are absolutely marvelous! Tasty, simple, hearty ... I never get tired of them. I especially liked all the tips and info about cooking with seaweed ... yes, cooking chick peas with kombu really DOES make them gasless! I also really appreciate Kristina Turner's wonderful way with words - I know it sounds hackneyed, but I really did feel as if a good, loving friend had taken me under her wing. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

I went to an accupuncturist who diagnosed me as having an imbalance in my yin/yang. It was a whole new way of thinking for me. I thought I had a pretty wholesome diet until I learned about extreme foods. From page one, I loved this book. It helped me understand macrobiotics and the whole yin/yang foods thing. This book explains in a simple and warm tone about expansive and contractive foods, cravings, and the accumulation of toxins from extreme, or high stress foods. The author lays out useful charts that you refer to again and again in makeing food choices that are more natural and balanced,which brings you more into balance. I have been feeling really good since I've made the shift to eating more neutral foods.