Why I Wrote "Meals That Heal" : PART 1
What if I told you that the root of almost all of your ailments - mild to chronic - were caused or exacerbated by one primary underlying condition in your body called INFLAMMATION? Some might say I’m delusional or a hippie health nut. In fact, a few years ago, I probably would have said the same, rolled my eyes, and put this cookbook back on the shelf. So HOW did I get here convinced more than ever before that an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is almost as important as wearing sunscreen or buckling your seatbelt? And then taking that a step farther to actually write an anti-inflammatory cookbook?
It started when I was asked to collaborate on a project on brain health for Cooking Light in 2016, specifically working on a review of emerging research on the role foods play in preventing dementia and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. The idea stemmed from a recent study that used an eating protocol called the MIND Diet to reduce risk of dementia. Study results were pretty significant, pointing towards the importance of antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and an anti-inflammatory diet. The teams hard work paid off a few months later when our collaborative piece won a 2017 James Beard award for journalism.
Yet, even with all of my interest focusing on inflammation, anti-inflammatory eating wasn’t the area where I thought I wanted my nutrition focus to head. …or so I thought!
