Sunday, October 22, 2017

Book review: Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber


Here is Amazon.com description of the book:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Christmas is the season of the heart, and #1 New York Timesbestselling author Debbie Macomber is here to warm yours with a delightful holiday novel of first impressions and second chances.

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her—minus her photo—and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects—or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

My review:

As I started reading Debbie Macomber's book Merry and Bright, I knew I was not going to put the book down until I finished it. I really liked all of the characters in the book and the story.  I just loved the book and hopefully it will be made into a Hallmark movie.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me to read this for my honest review!!
N.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Book Review: The Essential Thyroid Cookbook by Lisa Markley,MS,RDN and Jill Grunewald, HNC





Here is the description of the book on Amazon.com website:

Lisa Markley, MS, RDN and Jill Grunewald, HNC have created a groundbreaking and scientifically supported cookbook for those with Hashimoto's (autoimmune hypothyroidism). It's masterfully written and will support you for a lifetime of peak thyroid health no matter where you currently are on your wellness journey.

This long-awaited volume is a book within a cookbook — it contains a substantive educational component as well as over 100 original ''food as medicine'' recipes that not only satisfy and delight your taste buds, but also provide you with maximum nourishment for your thyroid and immune system and help you translate simple, thyroid- and immune-supportive nutrition to your plate.

For anyone who has wanted to cook confidently for optimal thyroid and immune function, this is your definitive guide. Be prepared for more unfussy, artfully crafted, mouthwatering recipes and well-studied, reliable, non-dogmatic thyroid- and immune-supportive nutrition information than you've ever seen in one cookbook.

Hashimoto's is the most common autoimmune disease and thyroid problems are among the most prevalent yet overlooked conditions that compromise women's wellbeing. (Additionally, men are being diagnosed in increasing numbers.) With their combined 20 years of nutrition and culinary wisdom, the authors have a mission to help those with Hashimoto's reclaim their health.

Markley is a dietitian with over a decade of nutrition and culinary experience and Grunewald is an integrative nutrition and hormone coach who's been in practice since 2008 successfully guiding her clients and students with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's to health and vitality. They've each experienced the challenges of Hashimoto's first-hand and have discovered that the most impactful way to reduce symptoms and improve thyroid and immune health — for themselves as well as their clients — is to focus on the sound nutrition strategies outlined in this cookbook.

They took a rigorous academic approach to this cookbook. In preparation for the choices of ingredients, Jill and Lisa created a ''nutritional springboard'' that's the foundation for their recipes. They extensively researched the most supportive nutrients for the thyroid and immune system and then identified foods that are dense sources of these nutrients, which ultimately laid the groundwork for The Essential Thyroid Cookbook.

Additionally, the recipes:

- Emphasize nutrient-dense, whole food ingredients full of color and flavor
- Are gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of refined sugars and other highly processed ingredients
- Are targeted to the home cook and easy to prepare; many can be made in 30 minutes or less
- Are thoughtfully created to appeal to all palates
- Contain sensible adaptations, whenever possible, to fit dietary practices commonly used to address thyroid imbalances and autoimmunity, such as Paleo and Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)

In this cookbook, you'll also discover well-researched and practical education about:

- Root causes of Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism
- Key nutrients known to boost thyroid and immune function and their food sources
- The connection between digestive health and thyroid imbalances
- Nutrition and lifestyle strategies for taming autoimmunity
- A discussion on ''goitrogenic'' foods, soy, and the dangers of ''low carb'' for those with hypothyroidism
- How to determine if certain foods may be triggering inflammation and autoimmunity
- Much, much more


This quintessential cookbook is a tour de force — a work of art and a work of science. It belongs on the shelf in every kitchen of anyone diagnosed with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's.

My review:

This book is a wealth of knowledge.  It is basically two books in one,  the first part is a very detailed and researched medical book for thyroid disease and the second part is a cookbook.  This is a book to keep and use as a reference.  The cookbook has some delicious and easy to prepare recipes.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.


N.