In exchange for my honest review, I was given an electronic advance copy of this book.

I have an older model Kindle paper white and the formatting of the introduction and beginning chapters did not transfer into a readable format for me. The sentences were jumbled together and lists were mixed up, also not pictures were present and there were notes present to the editor or copy setter. Because of this I missed most of the explanation of inflammation and its maliciousness. However I have an autoimmune issue so I am personally familiar with it.

The book begins with a disclaimer that this is not medical advice and advises that the reader seek the advice of the medical professional of their choice. These statements gave me confidence in the author and publisher. Many books do not include this and I feel it is the morally and medically responsible thing to do. After explaining how the author came to know about inflammation and its presence in many of the main medical conditions plaguing people today; she covers the symptoms and causes. As a nutritionist the author suggests that food can aggravate the inflammation or help it. She lists foods to watch, foods to avoid and foods to include in your diet.

As a way to make eating healthy easy the author mentions Simple Staples. Items to prepare ahead of time that make cooking easier through the week. This could be a big batch of lightly seasoned chicken, sauces or roasted veggies that are then easy to through into a quick stir fry or breakfast bowl. Also included is one weekly meal plan for each of seven different medical issues along with the recipes. Ending with lists of seasonal fruits and veggies by the season they are available, gives the reader a blueprint for healthy eating and reducing inflammation in their body.

More a diet and nutrition book than a cookbook, this title will be a great addition to the library’s nutrition and diet section.

Since I received a "sample" of this book from the publisher, it's difficult to provide a full review. However, I'll do my best with what was provided!

From what I saw, the book is lively and well put-together. The graphics are eye catching and easy to read, and the information is laid out in an ordered fashion. With some diet books, there are simply large blocks of text, and that can get a bit wearing, but "Meals that Heal" had a lot of photos, type-settings and other touches that made the book aesthetically appealing.

The book's premise is that inflammation is the key to solving gut health, and preventing a number of illnesses like cancer. The author - Carolyn Williams - presents recipes that eliminate certain food groups, while boosting others. So - you might give up dairy, but you can try new foods like tahini or nutritional yeast. I love cheese, but even I know it's not the absolute best thing for our bodies. Appreciated the emphasis on eggs and other whole proteins, as well as lentils and other wholesome foods.

But I should note that I completely disagree that coconut oil is bad for us. I was disappointed to see such an old-fashioned belief (not backed up by research) put forward in this book.

Again, the sample of the book didn't show many recipes, but what I saw looked promising and delicious - and the book really is visually appealing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

There are a lot of factors to consider when eating to change your health, and all of that can be overwhelming. She has done a great job of explaining the science and the thought behind eating within each food category. It definitely takes the stress level of a diet change down some.

Sadly, because I was reading an advanced version, I did not get to see all of the recipes, just a handful of them for breakfast. I will be looking at the final copy in hopes of finding some new additions to our meal rotation.

There is a lot of information in this book and a lot of ideas for nourishing people with different health conditions. I was a little disappointed with the recipes and was hoping for many more and for lots of new ideas but I felt as if I had seen most of them before. However this book would be perfect for someone new to this area who is looking for a good foundation in healing foods. Thank you

This cookbook is built around the concept of avoiding chronic inflammation. The author gives a lot of background about what inflammation is and the types of issues it can cause. In addition to general info, there's lots of different recipe ideas. I would check it out if you're looking for recipes involving low-inflammation foods.