If there’s ever been a good time to go with your gut, it’s now. The Heal Your Gut Cookbook from Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett represents something new—a truly enjoyable path toward digestive health. You could even call it the first GAPS book for foodies. With a foreword by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride—creator of the GAPS Diet and author of the original book on the topic (Gut and Psychology Syndrome)—Heal Your Gut builds upon and makes a perfect companion to Campbell-McBride’s earlier work.
You’ll find powerful first-hand stories from the authors, countless tips for traditional cooking methods such as fermentation and stock-making, beautiful full-color photographs to inspire and encourage, a wealth of in-depth resources, and wholesome, easy-to-prepare recipes. How does it work? GAPS, or Gut and Psychology Syndrome, is based on the revolutionary idea that diseases take hold when your gut ceases to function the way it should, and it seeks to address a range of disorders and chronic conditions that can be traced back to leaky gut and dysbiosis:
- ADD/ADHD
- Autism
- Addiction
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Diabetes type one
- Crohn’s disease
- Eczema
- Allergies
- Thyroid disorders
The GAPS Diet restores the proper balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut by eliminating processed grains, refined sugars, and other nutrient-free foods that have become so prevalent in the modern American diet. In a series of gently sequenced stages, you’ll reintroduce nutrient-dense foods that form the backbone of GAPS: bone broths, raw cultured dairy, fermented vegetables, organic pastured eggs, and organ meats to name just a few. The authors avoid the clinical approach in favor of humor, insight, encouragement, companionship, and advice. As you see how their own personal journeys of healing led to profoundly improved health in their own families, you’ll be motivated to do the same for yours.
The organizing principle behind the Heal Your Gut Cookbook is designed to help you start healing immediately, but gently. First you’ll learn tips for stocking the pantry, plus helpful guidelines on essential ingredients and techniques. Then you’ll embark on the GAPS Introduction Diet, six carefully sequenced stages designed to set you up for success. As your health gradually improves, the diet gradually changes, but you and your family may well be hooked from the first slurp of lip-smacking Basic Chicken Soup, Butternut Squash Soup, or Crock-Pot Beef Soup.
If you’re simply looking for new ways to maintain optimal health, you may opt to skip straight to the Full GAPS Diet…more than two hundred flavorful, nutrient-dense recipes to keep you and your family in glowing good health. Or if you’ve graduated from the earlier phases, you’re now ready to spread your wings in the kitchen. With dishes like Hot Micky (fermented hot sauce), Roasted Bone Marrow, and Coconut Curry Hazelnuts, the menu is all about real food, traditional techniques, and come-back-for-more taste. The Heal Your Gut Cookbook is a great addition to your cookbook collection if:
- You’re currently on the GAPS Diet but are looking for new tips and techniques to improve it.
- You’ve been considering embarking on the GAPS Diet but didn’t know where to start.
- You simply want to improve your digestive health and eat good food at the same time.
- Your healing path has been fraught with obstacles, and you could use some guidance, wisdom, and humor to help you the rest of the way.
As a society, we’re only now taking our first steps toward understanding the profound implications of digestive health: improve it, and your physical and mental wellbeing will follow. That’s where the Heal Your Gut Cookbook comes in, making it an ideal choice for any family looking for a new take on real food.
About the Authors
Hilary Boynton, certified holistic health counselor, received a BA in psychology from the University of Virginia and was trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. The devoted mother of five young kids, Hilary has seen the power of nutritional healing firsthand. Inspired by her own experience of “food as medicine,” she has dedicated her self to helping others on their path to wellness as a cook, coach, and professional educator. Hilary supports her clients by integrating “Paleo” and “Primal” philosophies with the wisdom of the Ancestral Health Movement and the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Mary Giordano Brackett is a whole-foods advocate and a creative visionary based out of Boston, Massachusetts. After receiving her BFA in photography from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Mary went on to photograph hundreds of weddings, events, people, and places before recognizing her true passion: the healing power of real food. Combining a love of photography with a devotion to nutrition is her life’s work, illustrating and illuminating the importance of our food choices.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is a medical doctor with two postgraduate degrees: master of medical sciences in neurology and master of medical sciences in human nutrition. She graduated as a medical doctor in Russia. After practicing for 5 years as a neurologist and 3 years as a neurosurgeon, she started a family and moved to the UK, where she got her second postgraduate degree in human nutrition. She’s well known for developing the concept of GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) that she describes in her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome—Natural Treatment for Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression, and Schizophrenia (now in its second edition).
Reviews
“If you think ‘healing diet’ means renunciation of delicious foods, you are in for a surprise. The Heal Your Gut Cookbook shows that you can enjoy every morsel while your body recovers from a lifetime of nutrient deficiencies and processed food. The recipes are delicious and the book beautifully illustrated. It is a wonderful contribution to the literature on the topic.”
—Sally Fallon Morell, president, The Weston A. Price Foundation
“Over my many years of healing through diet, especially healing the gut through diet, the problem has always been how to make the information and the food readily available to those in need. In the beginning the food was not to be had and the diet plans, recipes, and explanations were not to be found. Over the years this has begun to change. There are ever-expanding farmers markets, small businesses, and cooperative ventures that are filling the food-availability gap. Hilary’s and Mary’s book is a valuable addition to the question of what to do with the food and why. This book is another small step in my eventual fading away, as I can finally say ‘it’s all out there now. Just follow the advice and wonderful recipes; my work is done.’”
—Thomas Cowan, MD, author of The Fourfold Path to Healing and coauthor of The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care
“Hilary Boynton, busy and dedicated mother of five, has teamed with photographer extraordinaire Mary Brackett to create a beautiful book that accurately and elegantly lays out delicious, delightful, and fun recipes for the GAPS diet. No one will be bored again while cooking to heal. The highest kudos to Hilary and Mary: The Heal Your Gut Cookbook is a true gift to all of us!”
—Monica Corrado, MA, CNC, traditional food chef, GAPS cooking teacher, certified nutrition consultant, and author of With Love from Grandmother’s Kitchen.
“The GAPS diet can change your life; the challenge is how to apply it. Hilary Boynton to the rescue! She is a busy mother of five and lives by the guiding principle of ‘let your food be your medicine.’ Along with photographer Mary Brackett, she has created this beautifully illustrated manual for creating delicious and nutritious GAPS meals. This book provides easy, mouthwatering recipes. It offers practical ways to restore your gut to optimum function, and help you and your family take control of your gut health.”
—Dr. Joseph Mercola, founder, Mercola.com
Peggy Sue Meininger (verified owner) –
This is one of the best books for helping you heal your gut. Simple to understand, stages to follow and recipes that not only make sense but are TASTY. I have spent two years focused on recovering my intestinal health and I wish I had this in my kitchen that first year. Love Love LOVE this book.
Sue