What do you think?
Rate this book
Imuninės sistemos stiprinimo planas: 4 žingsnių autoimuninių ligų gydymo programa
Šioje bestseleriu tapusioje knygoje Susan Blum, garsi JAV gydytoja, prevencinės medicinos specialistė, pasakoja apie autoimuninius sutrikimus bei ligas, galinčias pakenkti visoms organizmo funkcijoms – nuo nervų sistemos iki širdies veiklos ir sąnarių darbo.
Jei jaučiate nuolatinį nuovargį, galvos svaigimą, susierzinimą, net depresiją, jei kenčiate nuo nepaaiškinamų svorio pokyčių, jei slenka plaukai ar iškilo odos problemų, galbūt susidūrėte su viena iš daugybės autoimuninių ligų, kai nuo išorinių bakterijų bei virusų poveikio turinti mus saugoti imuninė sistema pradeda atakuoti sveikas organizmo ląsteles?
Mūsų dienomis autoimuninės ligos dažnai gydomos imuninę sistemą slopinančiais preparatais, tačiau toks gydymas neretai sukelia šalutinį poveikį. Knygos autorė siūlo ieškoti autoimuninių ligų priežasčių. Ji pataria, kaip subalansuoti imuninę sistemą pasirinkus tinkamą maistą, susidarius dienotvarkę, išmokus įveikti stresą ir atsikračius įvairių nemalonių dirgiklių. Gydytojos S. Blum pasiūlymai nėra tuščia teorija. Ji pati įveikė autoimuninę ligą ir savo metodu dalinasi su kitais.
Jei jaučiate nuolatinį nuovargį, galvos svaigimą, susierzinimą, net depresiją, jei kenčiate nuo nepaaiškinamų svorio pokyčių, jei slenka plaukai ar iškilo odos problemų, galbūt susidūrėte su viena iš daugybės autoimuninių ligų, kai nuo išorinių bakterijų bei virusų poveikio turinti mus saugoti imuninė sistema pradeda atakuoti sveikas organizmo ląsteles?
Mūsų dienomis autoimuninės ligos dažnai gydomos imuninę sistemą slopinančiais preparatais, tačiau toks gydymas neretai sukelia šalutinį poveikį. Knygos autorė siūlo ieškoti autoimuninių ligų priežasčių. Ji pataria, kaip subalansuoti imuninę sistemą pasirinkus tinkamą maistą, susidarius dienotvarkę, išmokus įveikti stresą ir atsikračius įvairių nemalonių dirgiklių. Gydytojos S. Blum pasiūlymai nėra tuščia teorija. Ji pati įveikė autoimuninę ligą ir savo metodu dalinasi su kitais.
464 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
468 people are currently reading
2167 people want to read
About the author
Susan Blum
16 books25 followersDr Susan Blum (MD) is a pioneer in Functional Medicine with over 20 years experience providing treatment and prevention plans for chronic diseases. She is the Founder and Director of Blum Center for Health in New York and a member of the Medical Advisory Board for The Dr. Oz Show. Her mission for Blum Center for Health is to facilitate personalised healing experience for her patients, providing cutting-edge Functional Medicine and teaching self-care skills to change health habits for good.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
June 3, 2017
To see this review and my favorite recipe from this book, please visit www.readrantrockandroll.com
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum is one of a myriad of books I purchased after I was diagnosed with not one, but two serious autoimmune disorders. I was on a mission to cure myself and this book was just one of my tools.
The book is a doctor’s 4-step plan to overcome autoimmune disease. The author, Susan Blume, was suffering from an autoimmune disease and shares with readers what she believes are the answers to living a healthy life after autoimmune disease.
The four step plan includes:
*Using food as medicine – I believe this is a proven method in my own case. The author offers self assessments for foods that can trigger issues with our bodies and helps create a plan for discovering these food sensitivities. She also covers the “good stuff” and highlights a healthy diet by telling readers what they should eat with recipes included.
*Understanding the stress connection – It’s no surprise that in our world, people are stressed. It’s known to cause scads of issues including some less serious symptoms like fatigue to more serious diseases like autoimmune disease and cancers. The key is removing the inflammation from our bodies by destressing our lives, something many people could benefit from. How stressed are you? Take the self assessment to find out your stress number. This section includes some recipes to help counteract stress as well.
*Healing your gut – This section covers the importance of intestinal bacteria and what happens when your flora is out of order. She covers leaky gut and how we can heal our digestive tracts. There are more self assessments and a treatment program included with recipes.
*Supporting your liver – In this section you will learn all about toxins and how our livers simply can’t keep up with the amount of toxins we ingest everyday from our skin, breathing, eating and drinking. The author covers some of the most problematic toxins and discusses how to remove them from our bodies. Another self-assessment is offered which will help you discover if you’re dealing with toxic overload.
This book, in my opinion, would be good for anyone suffering disease in general. The steps that she outlines including healing the gut and supporting the liver can make anyone feel better and will also help to ward off disease before it strikes. I love most of the recipes in the book and use them on a regular basis. My rating on this one is:
5*****
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum is one of a myriad of books I purchased after I was diagnosed with not one, but two serious autoimmune disorders. I was on a mission to cure myself and this book was just one of my tools.
The book is a doctor’s 4-step plan to overcome autoimmune disease. The author, Susan Blume, was suffering from an autoimmune disease and shares with readers what she believes are the answers to living a healthy life after autoimmune disease.
The four step plan includes:
*Using food as medicine – I believe this is a proven method in my own case. The author offers self assessments for foods that can trigger issues with our bodies and helps create a plan for discovering these food sensitivities. She also covers the “good stuff” and highlights a healthy diet by telling readers what they should eat with recipes included.
*Understanding the stress connection – It’s no surprise that in our world, people are stressed. It’s known to cause scads of issues including some less serious symptoms like fatigue to more serious diseases like autoimmune disease and cancers. The key is removing the inflammation from our bodies by destressing our lives, something many people could benefit from. How stressed are you? Take the self assessment to find out your stress number. This section includes some recipes to help counteract stress as well.
*Healing your gut – This section covers the importance of intestinal bacteria and what happens when your flora is out of order. She covers leaky gut and how we can heal our digestive tracts. There are more self assessments and a treatment program included with recipes.
*Supporting your liver – In this section you will learn all about toxins and how our livers simply can’t keep up with the amount of toxins we ingest everyday from our skin, breathing, eating and drinking. The author covers some of the most problematic toxins and discusses how to remove them from our bodies. Another self-assessment is offered which will help you discover if you’re dealing with toxic overload.
This book, in my opinion, would be good for anyone suffering disease in general. The steps that she outlines including healing the gut and supporting the liver can make anyone feel better and will also help to ward off disease before it strikes. I love most of the recipes in the book and use them on a regular basis. My rating on this one is:
5*****
August 30, 2024
Having a more rare auto immune condition, I found this book helpful.
While it repeats what I have already learned from other sources it also connects the average American diet's over consumption to autoimmune disease. You can reduce the effects of an autoimmune condition by following the recommendations in this book.
Nutritional healing is key, but so is healthy thinking, exercise and rest. You know all those things you are supposed to do anyway but might not do enough of?
Eat well- fresh/whole foods well. Take care of yourself. Sleep. Don't take things too seriously and find and reduce stressors in your life.
The quality of each day you are on this earth depends on it. It can at times, become hard to see how you can maintain your health with many years or drastic consequences from not caring for yourself.
While it repeats what I have already learned from other sources it also connects the average American diet's over consumption to autoimmune disease. You can reduce the effects of an autoimmune condition by following the recommendations in this book.
Nutritional healing is key, but so is healthy thinking, exercise and rest. You know all those things you are supposed to do anyway but might not do enough of?
Eat well- fresh/whole foods well. Take care of yourself. Sleep. Don't take things too seriously and find and reduce stressors in your life.
The quality of each day you are on this earth depends on it. It can at times, become hard to see how you can maintain your health with many years or drastic consequences from not caring for yourself.
October 10, 2016
I'm done with this. Like not in a "got to the end of the book" way but in a "fed up with nonsense" way. The really frustrating part is that there is some reasonably sound medical advice here, but it's surrounded on all sides by "functional medicine" nonsense and woo woo unscientific theories. Instead of consulting this book, perhaps just visit the Mayo Clinic's website or the National Institutes of Health's website for scientifically-vetted evidence based medicine.
I was recently diagnosed with another autoimmune disease so I thought heck why not try this book. But one of my most recent non-fiction reads was Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine, I've been re-listening to old episodes of Sawbones, and mainlining the alternative medicine episodes of Oh No Ross & Carrie, so my brain is definitely attuned to pseudoscience lingo. This book has it in spades.
In addition to the podcasts, websites, & books above, instead of reading this book I recommend reading about functional medicine at Science Based Medicine and in particular the piece Functional Medicine: The Ultimate Misnomer in the World of Integrative Medicine.
I was recently diagnosed with another autoimmune disease so I thought heck why not try this book. But one of my most recent non-fiction reads was Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine, I've been re-listening to old episodes of Sawbones, and mainlining the alternative medicine episodes of Oh No Ross & Carrie, so my brain is definitely attuned to pseudoscience lingo. This book has it in spades.
In addition to the podcasts, websites, & books above, instead of reading this book I recommend reading about functional medicine at Science Based Medicine and in particular the piece Functional Medicine: The Ultimate Misnomer in the World of Integrative Medicine.
September 11, 2014
This is an immensely valuable book for those with an auto-immune disease (I have several). The author, who is a doctor, herself developed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and this meant that she had to cure this auto-immune disease herself, since traditional medicine had no satisfactory answers.
She found out that the four steps to healing and preventing auto-immune disease are:
1) Using food as medicine
2) Understanding the stress connection
3) Healing your gut
4) Supporting your liver.
The ingestion of gluten is believed to cause auto-immune disease, and genetic modification of crops like corn, soy and wheat exacerbates the problem. Modern-day diets in general trigger the development of auto-immune disease.
Also, a diet high in animal-based foods such as dairy, eggs and beef can promote inflammation and throw off the balance of good bacteria that live in your gut.
Potential triggers are chronic stress, hormone imbalance and infections.
The author discusses gluten, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity and foods bad for your immune system, such as sugar and saturated animal fat and trans fats from processed foods. She informs us about the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet, and other “good stuff”, including essential fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, zinc and green tea. Each part of the book includes a workbook for each theme and beneficial recipes.
We are informed of which foods to avoid and which to include.
There are three valuable chapters on stress, and tests to enable us to assess our degree of stress.
We are told about leaky gut syndrome and how to heal our gut. Important additions to our diet are coconut oil and probiotics.
The author includes three chapters on supporting your liver, and edifies us about toxins such as mercury, lead, plastics, pesticides, prescription medicines, heavy metals, vaccinations and xenoestrogens – the latter being chemicals that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body.
We need to detoxify our body, and remove metals by means of glutathione. Heavy-metal chelating agents include chlorella, cilantro and fibre.
This is an absolutely valuable, excellently-written book on healing auto-immune diseases, perhaps the only one of its kind. I highly recommend that you purchase this book. It provides detailed information on what to eat, what not to eat, what to do and what not to do.
She found out that the four steps to healing and preventing auto-immune disease are:
1) Using food as medicine
2) Understanding the stress connection
3) Healing your gut
4) Supporting your liver.
The ingestion of gluten is believed to cause auto-immune disease, and genetic modification of crops like corn, soy and wheat exacerbates the problem. Modern-day diets in general trigger the development of auto-immune disease.
Also, a diet high in animal-based foods such as dairy, eggs and beef can promote inflammation and throw off the balance of good bacteria that live in your gut.
Potential triggers are chronic stress, hormone imbalance and infections.
The author discusses gluten, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity and foods bad for your immune system, such as sugar and saturated animal fat and trans fats from processed foods. She informs us about the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet, and other “good stuff”, including essential fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, zinc and green tea. Each part of the book includes a workbook for each theme and beneficial recipes.
We are informed of which foods to avoid and which to include.
There are three valuable chapters on stress, and tests to enable us to assess our degree of stress.
We are told about leaky gut syndrome and how to heal our gut. Important additions to our diet are coconut oil and probiotics.
The author includes three chapters on supporting your liver, and edifies us about toxins such as mercury, lead, plastics, pesticides, prescription medicines, heavy metals, vaccinations and xenoestrogens – the latter being chemicals that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body.
We need to detoxify our body, and remove metals by means of glutathione. Heavy-metal chelating agents include chlorella, cilantro and fibre.
This is an absolutely valuable, excellently-written book on healing auto-immune diseases, perhaps the only one of its kind. I highly recommend that you purchase this book. It provides detailed information on what to eat, what not to eat, what to do and what not to do.
September 8, 2013
If you're like me, the main reason you're looking at a review of a health book is to find out if it seems reliable/worth a try/useful vs. if it's somewhat hippie-dippy and not likely to help much.
Thankfully, this book is well written, cites its research (thank you!) so you can do your own critical appraisal if you wish, and does manage to pull together a lot of things that people with autoimmune or other overlapping conditions may know *with* additional/newer research and a practical protocol.
I'll admit that I'm still a little skeptical every time a health book refers generally to "toxins" (what exactly do you mean by that?!) or talks about chelation, but there was really only one chapter that left me thinking "hmm.. I don't know if I buy this."
I like the idea of functional medicine, but occasionally some books that claim this term cross over into woo-woo-healing-crystal-territory, which frankly just isn't my bag (no offense intended if that's yours).
However, as someone who has gained immense benefit from treatments that don't always have enough of an evidence base to completely explain (for example, it's only relatively recently and acupuncture gained more legit status in mainstream medicine), and someone who's willing to try out various nutritional and lifestyle changes, I found this book clear and helpful, and its steps/protocol easy to follow.
The steps did help me identify some potential migraine triggers, and so although I haven't given up any food entirely, I'm much more aware of the things I should eat only small/less frequent portions of. I'm not sure if I could embrace a whole-hog abandonment of wheat and dairy without seeing a bit more research (case studies are cool, but not as persuasive when you don't know the people personally), but I would strongly encourage people who have struggled with odd immune and autoimmune conditions, as well as pain conditions to give this book a chance.
Thankfully, this book is well written, cites its research (thank you!) so you can do your own critical appraisal if you wish, and does manage to pull together a lot of things that people with autoimmune or other overlapping conditions may know *with* additional/newer research and a practical protocol.
I'll admit that I'm still a little skeptical every time a health book refers generally to "toxins" (what exactly do you mean by that?!) or talks about chelation, but there was really only one chapter that left me thinking "hmm.. I don't know if I buy this."
I like the idea of functional medicine, but occasionally some books that claim this term cross over into woo-woo-healing-crystal-territory, which frankly just isn't my bag (no offense intended if that's yours).
However, as someone who has gained immense benefit from treatments that don't always have enough of an evidence base to completely explain (for example, it's only relatively recently and acupuncture gained more legit status in mainstream medicine), and someone who's willing to try out various nutritional and lifestyle changes, I found this book clear and helpful, and its steps/protocol easy to follow.
The steps did help me identify some potential migraine triggers, and so although I haven't given up any food entirely, I'm much more aware of the things I should eat only small/less frequent portions of. I'm not sure if I could embrace a whole-hog abandonment of wheat and dairy without seeing a bit more research (case studies are cool, but not as persuasive when you don't know the people personally), but I would strongly encourage people who have struggled with odd immune and autoimmune conditions, as well as pain conditions to give this book a chance.
August 26, 2016
There was a majorly alarmist tone in most of this book (what I read of it). I stopped reading halfway through - as long as these kinds of medical practitioners use fear tactics, anecdotal "scientific" evidence, and nonsensical analogies on vulnerable people (those suffering from chronic illness) to make money, they're going to lack credibility. Nutrition science has a long way to go. Follow the money and you'll find snake oil salesmen.
June 30, 2016
I wanted so much to love this book. I'm the perfect target audience. I have many of the medical conditions, believe in the diet changes, am into alternative and holistic medicine, and already understand the link to toxins the author talks about at length. I was hoping for a book that would explain the science behind autoimmune disease and connect it to the rest. That's not this book.
I don't know if the author has farmed out sections to others and didn't check them well enough, or if she really is that ignorant about things. But there were so many huge glaring errors (big stuff too, not just small things) that it meant I couldn't trust the rest of the book. If I find mistakes in the stuff I already know, how can I tell if the stuff I don't know is correct?
Here are 3 errors I remember off the top of my head.
1) She claims that our diets are problematic because we're eating agricultural products vs hunting and gathering. Okay, there are some valid arguments for that and I can go with it. The error was when she said we (humans) have only changed over to farming 10 generations ago. Ummm, that's about 250 years. So, nope. That's the small error (maybe she meant millennia, but it's still the sort of thing an author (and her editor!) should catch).
2) Celiac Disease is an allergy to gluten. She said this twice that I saw. Not a simple typo. And not the sort of over-simplification that is acceptable in a book about autoimmune disease.
3) In talking about how gluten can be problematic for many (she implies all, which I don't agree with), she blames it all on GMOs. Now, I'm no fan of GMOs and I'm open to any science that shows they create problems in human health. Does she provide that? Nope. She says the reason they cause problems with wheat is that GMO wheat has "more gluten" than regular wheat and that eating more gluten is leading to medical issues.
Oh my God, where do I start? First of all, while GMO wheat exists, it's not yet on the market (as of last year anyway, source Wikipedia). Blum uses William David, author of Wheat Belly, as a source in this chapter and even he has a blog post out saying (in 2012) "While current research efforts continue to work on genetically-modified wheat, e.g., herbicide-resistance and reduction of celiac disease-provoking sequences, such GM-wheat is not currently on the market."
Second, the purpose of GMO wheat is not to increase the gluten content, nor does it as a side effect. Third, I've seen zero evidence anywhere eating a somewhat higher amount of gluten than the usual American is going to make any difference whatsoever.
I skimmed the rest of the book hoping there might be useful information there. Not really. The vast majority of it is quizzes to determine if particular types of treatments are useful to you (and they weren't very insightful quizzes either) and recipes for healthy foods (by her definition, though I didn't have a problem with her version of healthy diets).
All in all, this book was a huge disappointment.
I don't know if the author has farmed out sections to others and didn't check them well enough, or if she really is that ignorant about things. But there were so many huge glaring errors (big stuff too, not just small things) that it meant I couldn't trust the rest of the book. If I find mistakes in the stuff I already know, how can I tell if the stuff I don't know is correct?
Here are 3 errors I remember off the top of my head.
1) She claims that our diets are problematic because we're eating agricultural products vs hunting and gathering. Okay, there are some valid arguments for that and I can go with it. The error was when she said we (humans) have only changed over to farming 10 generations ago. Ummm, that's about 250 years. So, nope. That's the small error (maybe she meant millennia, but it's still the sort of thing an author (and her editor!) should catch).
2) Celiac Disease is an allergy to gluten. She said this twice that I saw. Not a simple typo. And not the sort of over-simplification that is acceptable in a book about autoimmune disease.
3) In talking about how gluten can be problematic for many (she implies all, which I don't agree with), she blames it all on GMOs. Now, I'm no fan of GMOs and I'm open to any science that shows they create problems in human health. Does she provide that? Nope. She says the reason they cause problems with wheat is that GMO wheat has "more gluten" than regular wheat and that eating more gluten is leading to medical issues.
Oh my God, where do I start? First of all, while GMO wheat exists, it's not yet on the market (as of last year anyway, source Wikipedia). Blum uses William David, author of Wheat Belly, as a source in this chapter and even he has a blog post out saying (in 2012) "While current research efforts continue to work on genetically-modified wheat, e.g., herbicide-resistance and reduction of celiac disease-provoking sequences, such GM-wheat is not currently on the market."
Second, the purpose of GMO wheat is not to increase the gluten content, nor does it as a side effect. Third, I've seen zero evidence anywhere eating a somewhat higher amount of gluten than the usual American is going to make any difference whatsoever.
I skimmed the rest of the book hoping there might be useful information there. Not really. The vast majority of it is quizzes to determine if particular types of treatments are useful to you (and they weren't very insightful quizzes either) and recipes for healthy foods (by her definition, though I didn't have a problem with her version of healthy diets).
All in all, this book was a huge disappointment.
September 30, 2013
This book is okay. While my personal experience is that diet does have a major impact on health, it doesn't follow that eating gluten is the root cause of all autoimmune diseases. Putting patients on elimination diets is great, but there are also people who just have messed up health and there's no magic bullet. Nor is it great to take a million supplements. There are some good recipes in the book and its worth a look, but I don't think the anti-gluten movement is fully researched.
June 13, 2013
I've been a health educator in the field of complementary and alternative medicine for a decade. If I were asked to recommend one book for someone seriously looking to improve their health, this would be it. Science-based and heart-centered, Susan Blum's book combines the very best of nutritional, mind-body, and functional medicine in a comprehensive healing plan. Terrific.
August 17, 2019
I read about fifty pages before giving up. I'd read a paragraph that set off all my alarms that the author really doesn't know what she's talking about, resolve to set the book down, and then there would be a paragraph that seemed careful, scientific, and well cited. Finally though, I decided there were just too many blatant inaccuracies and scare tactics for me to trust any information here. She claims to have completely "cured" her own hypothyroidism through her functional medicine plan, but then throws in, "Oh yeah, I also take Levothyroxine..." which seems to undermine her point. I laughed out loud when I read her claim that our ancestors only started farming ten generations ago. (Seriously, any intro history class could have cleared up this confusion.) On page 19 she starts using "chemicals" and "toxins" as scare words, which is a huge red flag for me. (In order to avoid chemicals, you'd have to visit the vacuum of space, and anyone with any science degree should know that. And while toxins do exist, the word is usually do vaguely defined it's become a red flag word for me.) Then she repeatedly hammered home the anecdote about the woman with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, whose symptoms disappeared as soon as she stopped eating gluten. Don't get me wrong; I'm happy for anyone who gets pain relief, and I congratulate the patient on such a miraculous recovery. But from a medical perspective, it's been proven repeatedly that for most people, most of the time, symptoms that appear and disappear with gluten ingestion are the result of a placebo effect. If someone is convinced that gluten causes them pain, they will experience pain after eating a gluten-free item that they were falsely told has gluten, and vice versa. This has been documented repeatedly. Blum should know this science well enough to not use one anecdote as "proof'. And she repeatedly cautions patients that your traditional medical doctor may disagree with her. It's... sketchy.
Anyway, fifty pages in, count me out. Too many red flags here. If the ideas in this book bring you peace and health, that's fantastic for you. I prefer to read books more grounded in solid science.
Anyway, fifty pages in, count me out. Too many red flags here. If the ideas in this book bring you peace and health, that's fantastic for you. I prefer to read books more grounded in solid science.
November 11, 2023
overall good outline of the major things to change in terms of diet and stress management for autoimmune disease. very overwhelming amount of supplements that potentially weren’t necessary.
September 8, 2013
I was especially interested in this as I have an autoimmune disease - MS - and am finding that diet really has an impact on my health. I understand now a lot about how the immune system works and (in the case of autoimmune disease) doesn't. Although I felt the information regarding MS was sorely lacking, I recommend this to anyone with an autoimmune disease -- and there are a lot of us.
June 9, 2015
This is definitely one of the best autoimmune books I've read. My favorite thing about this book by far is her dedication to science. She puts in as much science as she can. In instances where she can't find a study she even said something along the lines of "it would make sense to quote a study here but there currently are none, hopefully there will be soon". That gave me a deep respect for her. Dr. Blum uses several anecdotes from her practice to put a face to the facts and make it more relatable. She never seemed to use them as a substitute for real science. This book had good information. I was pretty skeptical but Dr. Blum has convinced me. My boyfriend is just starting to alter his diet and we will see how it goes. But it was this book that convinced me to at least give it a try.
August 30, 2017
This book was recommended to me by both a nutritionist and a friend whom it helped with a collection of disparate health issues. Basically, if you read the description and the free sample and think it seems promising, give it a shot. It's easy to follow, the author clearly knows the many medical and nutritional aspects of the subject, yet makes all her scientific info accessible and clear to the lay reader. The questionaires are easy to use, and the phases are easy to customize for your own health and experiences. I am not a big food-book/health-plan-book reader or recommender, but I am not even shitting you, this book has changed my life for the better.
June 27, 2013
The recipes in this book alone make it worth the purchase price but it is so much more. I had discovered through trial and error much of what she recommends to be true. I wish I would have discovered the book earlier. It would have certainly helped me regain my health much sooner. It is a must read for anyone with autoimmune challenges or for those who have been told repeatedly by doctors that "nothing is wrong", yet you still feel like crap. As a person who has gone through it, I can assure you, what she is sharing works.
July 23, 2013
This book has changed my life and I will continue to refer to it throughout. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's two years ago and have been struggling with thyroid issues for six years. It has been a difficult and challenging time trying to figure out what was wrong with me while trying to raise two little kids. I am so thankful to Susan Blum for providing me with the medical explanations and natural ways to go about trying to alleviate my symptoms and help me live a better and healthier life.
December 29, 2014
Abandoned. Some interesting stuff, but not enough verification/citation. The Functional Medicine crowd, with whom Susan Blum affiliates herself, might be on to something, but as long as they muddy the waters with self-serving sales of the proprietary lab tests and supplements they tout, I can't accept their perspective as anything but the shill's pitch that it is. But, I'll keep the 'eat better food, move around more' tenets that they reminded me about.
November 22, 2013
She seems to be saying that anyone with an autoimmune disease should just eat better and then it will just go away. It is your own fault if your body isn't working properly because you have been naughty and eating too much gluten. Just eat organic nuts and berries and you will be fine.
Read
June 13, 2013I started to have a bad feeling about this when she said more than once that humans have only been farming for ten generations. Seriously? Her doctorate definitely isn't in history.
July 20, 2020
Cum sunt ”fericitul” posesor al unei boli autoimune, sunt interesat și de astfel de cărți, care oferă sfaturi practice și informații medicale utile despre acest boli și felul în care pot fi ținute acestea în frâu. Și chiar dacă nu sunt adept al medicinei alternative (autoarea acestei cărți îi spune ”medicină funcțională”), poți găsi sfaturi valabile pentru orice persoană și aici. Ideea de bază din acest volum este prevenirea și/sau vindecarea afecțiunilor autoimune în patru pași principali (exemplificați inclusiv prin rețete și chestionare): folosirea hranei ca medicament, înțelegerea legăturii dintre boală și stres (o fi vreun semn că trebuie să renunț la navetă?), vindecarea intestinelor, ajutarea ficatului. Așadar, o carte din care trebuie să extragi ceea ce te interesează, lăsând la o parte chestiunile controversate, precum vindecările minune pe baza plantelor sau a pastilelor homeopate.
January 12, 2019
This book is really helpful if you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and you want to find out what foods are negatively affecting you. It walks you through how to do an Elimination Diet and has lots of helpful assessments, recipes, and workbooks.
April 18, 2017
Great book filled with a great deal of useful information. (I took 13 pages of notes.) I recommend this book for anyone who has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, anyone who has a family member with an autoimmune disorder, anyone who is interested in preventing an autoimmune disorder and all medical professionals.
October 31, 2023
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum is a comprehensive and science-based guide for preventing and managing autoimmune diseases, offering practical strategies to support immune health.
Autoimmune diseases have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, affecting millions of people worldwide. These conditions occur when the immune system, the body’s natural defence against harmful invaders, turns on itself, mistakenly attacking healthy cells and tissues. Autoimmune diseases can manifest in various forms, from rheumatoid arthritis to multiple sclerosis, and can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.
In this review, we delve into a book that addresses the pressing issue of autoimmune diseases and offers insights into their prevention and management. The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum provides a comprehensive guide for individuals looking to navigate the intricate landscape of autoimmune conditions.
Author’s background
Susan Blum, M.D., M.P.H., holds the position of assistant clinical professor within the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
With over ten years of experience, she has dedicated her career to both treating and preventing chronic diseases. Dr. Blum is the founder of the Blum Center for Health, located in Rye Brook, New York, and she provides guidance to the Institute for Functional Medicine. Additionally, she is a member of the Medical Advisory Board for The Dr. Oz Show.
What is the book about?
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum offers hope and healing for individuals suffering from autoimmune diseases. The book emphasises the seriousness of autoimmune diseases, which are among the top ten leading causes of death in women up to sixty-four years of age.
Throughout the book, Blum sheds light on various factors contributing to autoimmune diseases, such as diet, stress, toxins, and viral infections. She also discusses the limitations of conventional treatments and advocates for the functional medicine approach, which combines traditional treatments with a focus on the root causes of autoimmune conditions.
Blum’s approach to addressing and treating autoimmune systems centres around four key steps to healing and preventing autoimmune diseases: using food as medicine, understanding the stress connection, healing your gut, and supporting your liver.
Overall, The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum offers a comprehensive and accessible guide for individuals seeking to understand and address autoimmune diseases. It provides practical steps, self-assessment tools, and personalised treatment plans, making it a valuable resource for those looking to improve their immune system and regain their health.
Four key takeaways from The Immune System Recovery Plan
The book presents a four-component plan for addressing and treating the autoimmune system. The key steps include:
1. Using food as medicine
In The Immune System Recovery Plan, Susan Blum underscores the concept of ‘food as medicine,’ emphasising that food goes beyond calories and plays a crucial role in how it affects our cells. For instance, comparing an apple rich in anti-inflammatory quercetin to a sugary, pro-inflammatory cookie highlights the significance of choosing food based on its impact on the body. Blum explores the relationship between food and autoimmune diseases, offering insights into how dietary choices can profoundly influence one’s health. Through one of her patient’s experience, she demonstrates that certain foods, like gluten, can trigger pain and immobility, emphasising the need to pay attention to food’s effects beyond calories.
2. Understanding the stress connection
Susan Blum delves into the intricate relationship between stress and autoimmune diseases, drawing from current scientific knowledge. She explains how stress affects the body’s hormonal balance, influencing cortisol, adrenaline, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen levels, ultimately impacting the immune system’s function. Blum highlights the significance of maintaining a balanced immune response, neither too active nor too suppressed, and provides insights into how chronic stress can disrupt this equilibrium, making the body susceptible to infections and autoimmune disorders. By examining the role of cortisol in regulating immature immune cells and preventing autoimmune disorders, she underscores the importance of managing stress effectively to support overall health and immune system function. The book also includes stress-reduction techniques and recipes designed to promote relaxation and well-being.
3. Healing your gut
Susan Blum highlights the pivotal role of the gut in immune system health. She explains that the immune system in the gut is responsible for safeguarding the body against various external threats such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and foreign proteins in food. This defence involves two main components: the innate immune system, which serves as the front line of defence, and the adaptive immune system, which adapts to threats based on signals from the front line. Blum elucidates that imbalances in the gut’s immune response can lead to autoimmune diseases, making the regulation of T cells, particularly T regulator cells, crucial. Furthermore, she underscores that a significant portion of the immune system, up to 70 per cent, resides in the gut, emphasising the importance of maintaining gut health to support overall immune function and mitigate inflammation, a common factor in chronic diseases. Blum also explores the role of intestinal bacteria, noting that imbalances in gut flora are believed to contribute to autoimmunity and worsen autoimmune disease symptoms. She suggests rebalancing the gut with herbs and probiotics as a key strategy for enhancing the immune system.
4. Supporting your liver
Susan Blum explores the link between autoimmune diseases and toxins, specifically heavy metals like mercury. She highlights the persistence of heavy metal exposure, especially in less developed countries, and its potential to trigger autoimmune diseases. Blum discusses two prevailing theories on how mercury contributes to autoimmunity: it either damages cells in the body, making them appear foreign to the immune system, which then attacks them, or it stimulates abnormal growth and loss of tolerance in immune cells, leading them to attack the body’s own tissues. Mercury, among all heavy metals, is considered the most significant in this context, with environmental mercury levels reportedly tripling over the past century. Blum cites research suggesting connections between mercury exposure and conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) and discusses studies on rats that have demonstrated the induction of autoimmune diseases following mercury exposure. While direct human studies are limited, self-reports and case-control studies have provided insights into the potential autoimmune effects of mercury exposure, further underscoring the importance of toxin management in autoimmune disease prevention and management.
Strengths and weaknesses, according to readers’ reviews
Strengths:
• Emphasises a dedication to scientific research and evidence.
• Offers practical solutions for autoimmune challenges and persistent health issues.
• Includes valuable recipes that enhance the book’s value.
Weaknesses:
• Some dietary information may be redundant for conscientious eaters who are already aware of the negative effects of gluten, dairy, corn, and soy.
Best quotes from The Immune System Recovery Plan
“All this is evidence that the expression ‘You are what you eat’ isn't far from the truth. Everything you eat is digested and absorbed and then ends up floating around in your blood, eventually arriving to feed all your cells. This is how every cell in your body is affected by your diet. When it comes to the immune system, these cells are supposed to be touching and bumping into everything you eat, which is why food has an important influence on anyone with immune dysfunction.”
“In other words, what happened in the past created a foundation that changed her immune system, and made her susceptible to getting sick from the triggering events that came next.”
“The most-studied links between vaccines and autoimmune conditions involve Guillain-Barré syndrome (an autoimmune disease of the nerves and muscles) after the 1976 swine influenza vaccine; immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which is when your platelets are destroyed by antibodies after the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; and myopericarditis, an inflammation in and around the heart after smallpox vaccination. There have also been reports of an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, MS, or thrombocytopenia (low platelets) in adults receiving the hepatitis B vaccine.”
Final takeaway
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum is an invaluable resource that sheds light on a holistic approach to health that will enable readers to prevent and overcome autoimmune diseases and chronic health problems. Dr Blum’s scientific dedication and evidence-based approach stand out, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of autoimmune conditions. Her emphasis on the role of food as medicine, stress management, gut health, and toxin reduction offers practical solutions to improve immune function and overall well-being.
It is a must-read for anyone struggling with autoimmune issues or seeking to optimise their health.
Autoimmune diseases have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, affecting millions of people worldwide. These conditions occur when the immune system, the body’s natural defence against harmful invaders, turns on itself, mistakenly attacking healthy cells and tissues. Autoimmune diseases can manifest in various forms, from rheumatoid arthritis to multiple sclerosis, and can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.
In this review, we delve into a book that addresses the pressing issue of autoimmune diseases and offers insights into their prevention and management. The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum provides a comprehensive guide for individuals looking to navigate the intricate landscape of autoimmune conditions.
Author’s background
Susan Blum, M.D., M.P.H., holds the position of assistant clinical professor within the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
With over ten years of experience, she has dedicated her career to both treating and preventing chronic diseases. Dr. Blum is the founder of the Blum Center for Health, located in Rye Brook, New York, and she provides guidance to the Institute for Functional Medicine. Additionally, she is a member of the Medical Advisory Board for The Dr. Oz Show.
What is the book about?
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum offers hope and healing for individuals suffering from autoimmune diseases. The book emphasises the seriousness of autoimmune diseases, which are among the top ten leading causes of death in women up to sixty-four years of age.
Throughout the book, Blum sheds light on various factors contributing to autoimmune diseases, such as diet, stress, toxins, and viral infections. She also discusses the limitations of conventional treatments and advocates for the functional medicine approach, which combines traditional treatments with a focus on the root causes of autoimmune conditions.
Blum’s approach to addressing and treating autoimmune systems centres around four key steps to healing and preventing autoimmune diseases: using food as medicine, understanding the stress connection, healing your gut, and supporting your liver.
Overall, The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum offers a comprehensive and accessible guide for individuals seeking to understand and address autoimmune diseases. It provides practical steps, self-assessment tools, and personalised treatment plans, making it a valuable resource for those looking to improve their immune system and regain their health.
Four key takeaways from The Immune System Recovery Plan
The book presents a four-component plan for addressing and treating the autoimmune system. The key steps include:
1. Using food as medicine
In The Immune System Recovery Plan, Susan Blum underscores the concept of ‘food as medicine,’ emphasising that food goes beyond calories and plays a crucial role in how it affects our cells. For instance, comparing an apple rich in anti-inflammatory quercetin to a sugary, pro-inflammatory cookie highlights the significance of choosing food based on its impact on the body. Blum explores the relationship between food and autoimmune diseases, offering insights into how dietary choices can profoundly influence one’s health. Through one of her patient’s experience, she demonstrates that certain foods, like gluten, can trigger pain and immobility, emphasising the need to pay attention to food’s effects beyond calories.
2. Understanding the stress connection
Susan Blum delves into the intricate relationship between stress and autoimmune diseases, drawing from current scientific knowledge. She explains how stress affects the body’s hormonal balance, influencing cortisol, adrenaline, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen levels, ultimately impacting the immune system’s function. Blum highlights the significance of maintaining a balanced immune response, neither too active nor too suppressed, and provides insights into how chronic stress can disrupt this equilibrium, making the body susceptible to infections and autoimmune disorders. By examining the role of cortisol in regulating immature immune cells and preventing autoimmune disorders, she underscores the importance of managing stress effectively to support overall health and immune system function. The book also includes stress-reduction techniques and recipes designed to promote relaxation and well-being.
3. Healing your gut
Susan Blum highlights the pivotal role of the gut in immune system health. She explains that the immune system in the gut is responsible for safeguarding the body against various external threats such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and foreign proteins in food. This defence involves two main components: the innate immune system, which serves as the front line of defence, and the adaptive immune system, which adapts to threats based on signals from the front line. Blum elucidates that imbalances in the gut’s immune response can lead to autoimmune diseases, making the regulation of T cells, particularly T regulator cells, crucial. Furthermore, she underscores that a significant portion of the immune system, up to 70 per cent, resides in the gut, emphasising the importance of maintaining gut health to support overall immune function and mitigate inflammation, a common factor in chronic diseases. Blum also explores the role of intestinal bacteria, noting that imbalances in gut flora are believed to contribute to autoimmunity and worsen autoimmune disease symptoms. She suggests rebalancing the gut with herbs and probiotics as a key strategy for enhancing the immune system.
4. Supporting your liver
Susan Blum explores the link between autoimmune diseases and toxins, specifically heavy metals like mercury. She highlights the persistence of heavy metal exposure, especially in less developed countries, and its potential to trigger autoimmune diseases. Blum discusses two prevailing theories on how mercury contributes to autoimmunity: it either damages cells in the body, making them appear foreign to the immune system, which then attacks them, or it stimulates abnormal growth and loss of tolerance in immune cells, leading them to attack the body’s own tissues. Mercury, among all heavy metals, is considered the most significant in this context, with environmental mercury levels reportedly tripling over the past century. Blum cites research suggesting connections between mercury exposure and conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) and discusses studies on rats that have demonstrated the induction of autoimmune diseases following mercury exposure. While direct human studies are limited, self-reports and case-control studies have provided insights into the potential autoimmune effects of mercury exposure, further underscoring the importance of toxin management in autoimmune disease prevention and management.
Strengths and weaknesses, according to readers’ reviews
Strengths:
• Emphasises a dedication to scientific research and evidence.
• Offers practical solutions for autoimmune challenges and persistent health issues.
• Includes valuable recipes that enhance the book’s value.
Weaknesses:
• Some dietary information may be redundant for conscientious eaters who are already aware of the negative effects of gluten, dairy, corn, and soy.
Best quotes from The Immune System Recovery Plan
“All this is evidence that the expression ‘You are what you eat’ isn't far from the truth. Everything you eat is digested and absorbed and then ends up floating around in your blood, eventually arriving to feed all your cells. This is how every cell in your body is affected by your diet. When it comes to the immune system, these cells are supposed to be touching and bumping into everything you eat, which is why food has an important influence on anyone with immune dysfunction.”
“In other words, what happened in the past created a foundation that changed her immune system, and made her susceptible to getting sick from the triggering events that came next.”
“The most-studied links between vaccines and autoimmune conditions involve Guillain-Barré syndrome (an autoimmune disease of the nerves and muscles) after the 1976 swine influenza vaccine; immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which is when your platelets are destroyed by antibodies after the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; and myopericarditis, an inflammation in and around the heart after smallpox vaccination. There have also been reports of an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, MS, or thrombocytopenia (low platelets) in adults receiving the hepatitis B vaccine.”
Final takeaway
The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum is an invaluable resource that sheds light on a holistic approach to health that will enable readers to prevent and overcome autoimmune diseases and chronic health problems. Dr Blum’s scientific dedication and evidence-based approach stand out, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of autoimmune conditions. Her emphasis on the role of food as medicine, stress management, gut health, and toxin reduction offers practical solutions to improve immune function and overall well-being.
It is a must-read for anyone struggling with autoimmune issues or seeking to optimise their health.
October 6, 2014
This book was recommended to my by a friend when she heard about some health problems I was dealing with. I ordered it immediately and read it in a few days. I am just starting an elimination diet, but I was mostly impressed with the information it contained and the case it made.
One thing that was a huge sticking point for me was her (repeated!) claim that our ancestors “settled down to farming (only ten generations ago)”. This is clearly not factual. If it was in there only one time, you think maybe the editors missed it and she meant ten thousand years ago but thought generations sounded good and didn't have a literal, numerical meaning. But seriously, in a book that claims to be well-researched, to claim that farming started around the time that the US became a country? It made me wonder what other number could be wrong.
And if it wasn't an honest mistake, then did she really think her case was weak enough that she had to make some bizarrely erroneous claim to convince readers? The obvious manipulation of that claim to support her theory just made me question the other facts she presented, which I find harder to verify.
Docking a full two stars for that mistake/lie. If the elimination diet works, I may restore a star ;)
One thing that was a huge sticking point for me was her (repeated!) claim that our ancestors “settled down to farming (only ten generations ago)”. This is clearly not factual. If it was in there only one time, you think maybe the editors missed it and she meant ten thousand years ago but thought generations sounded good and didn't have a literal, numerical meaning. But seriously, in a book that claims to be well-researched, to claim that farming started around the time that the US became a country? It made me wonder what other number could be wrong.
And if it wasn't an honest mistake, then did she really think her case was weak enough that she had to make some bizarrely erroneous claim to convince readers? The obvious manipulation of that claim to support her theory just made me question the other facts she presented, which I find harder to verify.
Docking a full two stars for that mistake/lie. If the elimination diet works, I may restore a star ;)
July 8, 2016
I actually enjoyed this book on health and wellness. It is a genre I don't typically pick up, but Dr. Blum provided just enough science in easy-to-understand language to help me understand why she was advocating the plan she put forth within the book without burying me in doctor-speak and medical research. She was also considerate and understanding, making allowances for the life stage you are in, defining words like "moderation", and telling you where you could more easily make allowances if what she recommended was overwhelming. She helped me make informed changes to my life that are showing positive results, and I know the next steps I need to take once the present changes are part of my life. I think I'll be pulling this book to back refer to in the future.
February 2, 2014
This book was great if you've never read or researched anything on this topic. I found it to be very simple and not as I depth as other books but still was a great read for those just starting a journey and trying to sort themselves. Once on the path outlined by this book there are more advanced things to consider also for healing individual disease pathways. :-)
January 14, 2017
So my two stars is really just based on her writing style. There was way too much of "I'll tell you about it in Chapter 8" or "I explained in appendix 2". Just tell me now if it makes sense to talk about it. I got really bored reading it. All you need to read are the appendixes that give a summary of treatments.
August 20, 2014
Amazing! I have Graves Disease and highly recommend for anyone with an autoimmune disorder.
July 23, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Autoimūnas slimības | Holistiska pieeja | Uzturs un veselība | Praktiski soļi | Ārsta pieredze
Šī ir grāmata, kas būs noderīga ikvienam, kurš slimo ar kādu autoimūnu slimību. Kā jau daudzas šāda veida grāmatas, īpaši tās, ko sarakstījuši ārsti, arī šī ir pārpildīta ar informāciju un atkārtojumiem, taču, ja izlobām būtiskāko, tad grāmatas pamats ir vienkāršs:
1. NĒ GLUTĒNAM
Autore uzsver – neatkarīgi no diagnozes, pirmais un svarīgākais solis ir pilnībā izslēgt glutēnu no uztura.
2. Produktu nepanesamība
Pamatojoties uz ideju, ka ēdiens var dziedināt, autore aicina veikt testēšanu:
– Uz 3 nedēļām izslēdz: piena produktus, kukurūzu, soju (glutēnu gan – pavisam).
– Pēc tam ievies vienu grupu atpakaļ un vēro sajūtas (vēdera pūšanās, nogurums, sāpes utt.).
– Ja simptomi parādās – turpini izvairīties. Ja viss kārtībā – drīksti lietot.
– Atkārto ar katru grupu.
Papildus autore skaidro arī par iekaisuma procesiem, uztura bagātinātājiem, toksīnu ietekmi vidē u.c.
+ Grāmatā ir daudz interesantu recepšu!
Kopsavilkumā:
Vērtīga, praktiska un iedvesmojoša lasāmviela, ja esi gatavs veikt uztura izmaiņas un meklē holistisku pieeju savai veselībai. Pārējiem, iespējams, būs par daudz atkārtojumu un zinātnisku detaļu.
📌 “There are many studies that show that the more control a person feels he/she has over a situation, the higher the rate of healing.
People do better, feel better, and live better with various health conditions if they have a sense that there is something they can do for themselves.”
__
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Autoimmune disease | Holistic health | Nutrition & lifestyle | Practical guide | Doctor-led plan
This book is a valuable resource for anyone dealing with an autoimmune condition. Like many self-help books written by doctors, it’s dense with information and tends to repeat itself, but if you’re ready to dig in and take action, the core message is clear and practical:
1. NO TO GLUTEN
The author strongly emphasizes that no matter what autoimmune condition you’ve been diagnosed with, the first and most important step is to completely remove gluten from your diet.
2. Food sensitivities
Based on the idea that food can be medicine, the author suggests testing your individual tolerance with an elimination protocol:
– In addition to saying a final goodbye to gluten, cut out dairy, corn, and soy for 3 weeks.
– Then reintroduce one group at a time and observe how you feel (bloating, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, etc.).
– If symptoms return, keep avoiding that group. If not – feel free to include it in your diet.
– Repeat this process for all food groups.
The book also dives into inflammation, recommended supplements, and how to reduce environmental toxins in your home and lifestyle.
+ Bonus: it includes plenty of interesting recipes!
In summary:
An informative, practical and inspiring read for those willing to explore nutritional changes and take a holistic approach to managing autoimmune conditions. For others, it might feel a bit repetitive or heavy on medical detail.
Autoimūnas slimības | Holistiska pieeja | Uzturs un veselība | Praktiski soļi | Ārsta pieredze
Šī ir grāmata, kas būs noderīga ikvienam, kurš slimo ar kādu autoimūnu slimību. Kā jau daudzas šāda veida grāmatas, īpaši tās, ko sarakstījuši ārsti, arī šī ir pārpildīta ar informāciju un atkārtojumiem, taču, ja izlobām būtiskāko, tad grāmatas pamats ir vienkāršs:
1. NĒ GLUTĒNAM
Autore uzsver – neatkarīgi no diagnozes, pirmais un svarīgākais solis ir pilnībā izslēgt glutēnu no uztura.
2. Produktu nepanesamība
Pamatojoties uz ideju, ka ēdiens var dziedināt, autore aicina veikt testēšanu:
– Uz 3 nedēļām izslēdz: piena produktus, kukurūzu, soju (glutēnu gan – pavisam).
– Pēc tam ievies vienu grupu atpakaļ un vēro sajūtas (vēdera pūšanās, nogurums, sāpes utt.).
– Ja simptomi parādās – turpini izvairīties. Ja viss kārtībā – drīksti lietot.
– Atkārto ar katru grupu.
Papildus autore skaidro arī par iekaisuma procesiem, uztura bagātinātājiem, toksīnu ietekmi vidē u.c.
+ Grāmatā ir daudz interesantu recepšu!
Kopsavilkumā:
Vērtīga, praktiska un iedvesmojoša lasāmviela, ja esi gatavs veikt uztura izmaiņas un meklē holistisku pieeju savai veselībai. Pārējiem, iespējams, būs par daudz atkārtojumu un zinātnisku detaļu.
📌 “There are many studies that show that the more control a person feels he/she has over a situation, the higher the rate of healing.
People do better, feel better, and live better with various health conditions if they have a sense that there is something they can do for themselves.”
__
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Autoimmune disease | Holistic health | Nutrition & lifestyle | Practical guide | Doctor-led plan
This book is a valuable resource for anyone dealing with an autoimmune condition. Like many self-help books written by doctors, it’s dense with information and tends to repeat itself, but if you’re ready to dig in and take action, the core message is clear and practical:
1. NO TO GLUTEN
The author strongly emphasizes that no matter what autoimmune condition you’ve been diagnosed with, the first and most important step is to completely remove gluten from your diet.
2. Food sensitivities
Based on the idea that food can be medicine, the author suggests testing your individual tolerance with an elimination protocol:
– In addition to saying a final goodbye to gluten, cut out dairy, corn, and soy for 3 weeks.
– Then reintroduce one group at a time and observe how you feel (bloating, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, etc.).
– If symptoms return, keep avoiding that group. If not – feel free to include it in your diet.
– Repeat this process for all food groups.
The book also dives into inflammation, recommended supplements, and how to reduce environmental toxins in your home and lifestyle.
+ Bonus: it includes plenty of interesting recipes!
In summary:
An informative, practical and inspiring read for those willing to explore nutritional changes and take a holistic approach to managing autoimmune conditions. For others, it might feel a bit repetitive or heavy on medical detail.
October 4, 2024
Such mixed thoughts on this book...
The highlight is probably the recipes. I haven't tried any yet, but I am considering just tearing them out and throwing the rest of the book away. Most of them do look good and easy.
My biggest issue with the book was the tone. I found it condescending, almost as though she felt she was talking to children. Granted, this year I have read many health books and so I might have above-average knowledge for her typical reader, but something about the way the words conveyed on the page really grated on my nerves.
I don't typically scan other reviews before writing my own, but I did this time and was truly surprised by the amount of criticism related to the medical information. Granted the book was written 10 years ago and science is always changing, but this didn't leap out at me as a major problem. Yes, sugar and GMO foods and (probably) wheat are bad for us. Even though I didn't like this book much, if I had to choose between functional medicine and mega-institutions, I'll pick the former every time. I guess that's the difference between me and some of the other reviewers.
As noted in my other reviews, it is my belief based on spiritual, not medical, reasoning that the body doesn't attack itself. My own experience and research suggests to me that viruses and epigenetics do play a major part in the diseases discussed - so I'm not buying into the "antibodies attacking the thyroid" stuff or anything similar. This perspective creates a lot more hope and possibility for change than the idea that our own bodies are out to destroy us. Put me in the woo-woo quackery camp if you want to, but just think about it.
The highlight is probably the recipes. I haven't tried any yet, but I am considering just tearing them out and throwing the rest of the book away. Most of them do look good and easy.
My biggest issue with the book was the tone. I found it condescending, almost as though she felt she was talking to children. Granted, this year I have read many health books and so I might have above-average knowledge for her typical reader, but something about the way the words conveyed on the page really grated on my nerves.
I don't typically scan other reviews before writing my own, but I did this time and was truly surprised by the amount of criticism related to the medical information. Granted the book was written 10 years ago and science is always changing, but this didn't leap out at me as a major problem. Yes, sugar and GMO foods and (probably) wheat are bad for us. Even though I didn't like this book much, if I had to choose between functional medicine and mega-institutions, I'll pick the former every time. I guess that's the difference between me and some of the other reviewers.
As noted in my other reviews, it is my belief based on spiritual, not medical, reasoning that the body doesn't attack itself. My own experience and research suggests to me that viruses and epigenetics do play a major part in the diseases discussed - so I'm not buying into the "antibodies attacking the thyroid" stuff or anything similar. This perspective creates a lot more hope and possibility for change than the idea that our own bodies are out to destroy us. Put me in the woo-woo quackery camp if you want to, but just think about it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews