10 Life-Changing Holistic Nutrition Books

In the age of information, it can be difficult to sort through all the knowledge out there relating to health and diet. This is particularly true when coming to natural health – there is a wealth of information out there, but it’s hard to know who is right!

That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best holistic nutrition books out there. Any one of these books can be viewed as life changing and will be a welcome addition to your library. Building a stock of reliable resources will come in handy all throughout your life and journey into natural health.

This list contains the classics, the nutrition “bibles” if you will, that are tried and tested by many natural health practitioners around the world. Whether you’re just starting out with holistic nutrition or are a well-educated veteran, these books shouldn’t be left unread!

1. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History Of Four Meals, Michael Pollan.

Pollan is best known for saying: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This book has been life changing for many people. It takes the reader on a journey from where food comes from to the dinner table – from the corn farm and cattle ranch to your kitchen.

As Pollan narrates and comments on the process of mass farming, you’ll understand the flaws in our current food system. The book also introduces some simple ideas about what to eat: avoid food which contains more than five ingredients, learn the value of home-cooked meals, and eat less generally.

2. How Not To Diet: Discover The Foods Scientifically, Dr. Michel Greger.

Dr. Greger begins his thesis by noting that although humans are living to greater and greater ages, more of those years are spent in sickness and ill health than before. The author outlines a number of lifestyle problems that are causing these illnesses, from diabetes to heart disease, and namely points towards a diet of processed food as the main problem.

Dr. Greger recommends a whole foods plant-based diet to combat the 15 leading causes of death, including a list of his “daily dozen” foods we should be eating. These include flaxseeds, beans, and berries.

“The idea is that the root cause of diseases is better addressed with a whole foods diet, rather than later treating the symptoms,” says Kasey Bruce, a health writer at OXEssays and Essay Writers. “Greger also recommends exercise to treat the cause – this technique is, he notes, not only safer and cheaper than using drugs, but works better.”

3. Staying Healthy With The Seasons, Elson Haas M. D.

A popular natural health book, Dr. Haas outlines here many nutritional problems and solutions. He covers the seasonal shifts our bodies naturally take, and how our diets should change to remain in sync with the natural world. Dr. Haas’ thesis is that as society moves further and further away from nature, we cannot expect ourselves to be immune to the effects of doing so. Instead, we should try to keep ourselves in sync with nature via our diet, to be our healthiest selves.

4. Food And Healing, Annemarie Colbin

This book is a staple in any natural health library. First published in 1986, Colbin was one of the first writers and nutritionists to study the healing power of whole foods. Her work has stood the test of time and marked the beginning of a nutrition revolution, in which the correlation between diet and health began!

Use this book as a starting point for beginning your journey into nutrition, and as a reference point for any questions you may have along the way. Colbin’s updated work includes dietary systems, alternative medicine and philosophies of nutrition. Cumulatively, once reading the book, you will have a greater understanding of what you can do individually for your own health!

5. Whole: Rethinking The Science Of Nutrition, Colin Campbell.

As a follow up to The China Study, Campbell hopes to revolutionize the way we think about food by using a lot of scientific evidence. He argues for a whole-food, plant-based diet as the healthiest way for all of humankind to eat. It’s a very scientific study, but very useful for anyone wanting to learn the nitty gritty details about health and nutrition.

6. Prescription For Nutritional Healing: A Practical A-To-Z Reference To Drug-Free Remedies, Phyllis Balch.

“Here is a book to read if you are interested in food as medicine,” says Roggan Riggs, a book blogger at AustralianHelp and Top Essay Writing Services. “Balch’s book is organized as a reference guide containing a lot of information about holistic medicine, diets, and nutrition. A must-have for anyone starting out or looking to learn more about natural health!”

7. Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions And Modern Nutrition, Paul Pitchford

Like The China Study, Pitchford concentrates on the Eastern fundamentals of diet and nutrition in the hope that the West can follow suit. This book not only covers diets but covers acupuncture and natural medicine, too. Pitchford examines a series of traditional Chinese medicinal texts to see what information might be useful for the present day.

8. Tao Of Nutrition, Maoshing Ni.

This book is a little different – again looking at food as medicine, Ni shows us how we can make every meal therapeutic by listening closely to our bodies. He shows that by looking at our symptoms, constitution, ailments and the season, we can match our meals perfectly to what we need.

Ni even goes into the thermal energies of each ingredient. Whilst a little confusing for those without prior knowledge of macrobiotics or traditional Chinese medicine, it’s perfect for holistic practitioners, and beginners can always learn!

9. Becoming Raw, Brenda Davis

If you’ve ever heard of the raw diet and are interested in trying it, this is the book for you. Containing a wealth of information about the benefits of a raw foods diet, and how to gradually make the switch, it’s a book as much about a lifestyle as it is about a diet.

10. What To Eat, Marion Nestle.

This is another nutritional bible in which Nestle outlines the importance of learning about ingredients and the journey of food products to the table. She explains the issues in food production, processing, and food labels and health claims. After reading, you will certainly be well equipped to make healthier food choices and read every nutrition label!

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Written By:
Beatrix Potter works as a nutrition expert at Top assignment writing services in South Australia and Top Asian writing services writing services. Beatrix writes about holistic nutrition and is also an online proof reader at Assignment Help Services website.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash