This was a good overview of lifestyle changes that may help improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Although RA is the focus, this book would be helpful for anyone with autoimmune issues. It’s not overly complicated or scholarly and is a good starting point for someone looking for options that can complement their current treatment. The book is actually shorter than it seems since the recipes start a third of the way through, but it does include a shopping guide if you’re motivated enough to try either of the meal plans.

The first third of this book provides a good brief explanation of what Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is and how to treat it. I’ve been living with RA for over 15 years and am very proactive about my health, so none of this information was new to me, but it would have been helpful when I was newly diagnosed. I liked how the author included discussion of peer-reviewed journal articles.

I found the meal plan tables awkward to use in the ARC ebook I was reviewing, but that may vary based on the device you’re reading on. Otherwise, I found the formatting to be helpful and I appreciated the interactive links throughout the ebook and the fact that all recipes are accessible from the table of contents.

The final two-thirds of the book provide 75 nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory recipes. I liked how the recipes were labeled as “Ease Joint Pain” (no nightshades), “Heart Healthy” (low in cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat), “Inflammation Fighter” (packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients), and “Bone Booster” (lots of calcium and other bone-supporting nutrients). All of the recipes are free of gluten and white sugar, and I don’t recall seeing any grains or dairy. Some recipes do use eggs, nuts, or nightshades. Most of the ingredients should be easy to find, though some of them may not be part of your existing pantry if you’re not used to gluten-free and dairy-free cooking.

The recipes are written fairly clearly, although there are a few places where I would have preferred more detailed direction or some photographs showing each step (there are very few photos in this book, and none show the work in progress). Experienced cooks should be fine, but beginners might run into a few problems. I loved the nutritional information provided for each recipe, as well as the tips and suggestions for substitutions. I did notice an error in the Pumpkin Pie Pot de Crème recipe, where it’s noted as being 4 servings but actually makes 6 servings; I’m not sure if that means that the nutritional information is inaccurate for this recipe.

I tried several of the recipes and thought they were pretty good. Some, like the smoothies or the Creamy Banana Chia Pudding, were really easy to make with minimal ingredients. Others were more complicated and could be tiring to prepare during a flare. I thought the Cream of Watercress and Spinach Soup was interesting but had too much lemon juice as written. The Pumpkin Seed Veggie Patties were good though slightly bland, but note that they need to cool after baking to firm up.

I would generally recommend this book for anyone new to dealing with RA, or for anyone who would like to try a variety of healthy, anti-inflammatory recipes.

I was provided an ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

This book covered some natural ways to help reduce inflammation and RA symptoms. The author started by talking about the basics of RA and what causes it. She also discussed several methods of reducing RA symptoms, including exercise, certain stretching exercises, good sleep, stress reduction, and the food you eat. She included a couple meal plans and 75 recipes. These recipes included some anti-inflammatory ingredients and avoided foods that commonly provoke RA symptoms. I was disappointed that she didn't point out that GMO's can cause inflammation. Avoiding GMOs has put my RA in remission. She suggested avoiding processed foods, refined sugar, dairy, gluten, and maybe avoiding some other foods, while adding whole foods like fruits and vegetables.

She included 10 breakfast recipes, 10 snacks, 15 vegetarian main dishes, 15 fish and seafood main dishes, 15 poultry, pork, lamb, or beef main dishes, and 10 desserts. These recipes served between two and six people. She included cook time, prep time, and nutritional information per serving (calories, trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, fiber, protein). There was only one recipe pictured for each section, so many recipes did not have a picture. This is fine with me, but I know some people prefer more pictures. Overall, I'd recommend this book to people with RA who are new to the idea of using diet and exercise to reduce their symptoms.

The Rheumatoid Arthritis Healing Plan is a tutorial guide and cookbook to support an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. Released 15th Oct 2019 by Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 234 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.

This is a layman accessible, science-based, well written guide to living with and thriving despite a diagnosis of serious inflammatory chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The author has a background in health based clinical nutrition and her writing style is upbeat and positive. The introduction covers some info about the diagnosis and management of RA, what it means, and how food and lifestyle can play into the inflammation and disease processes.

Part two includes a boatload of recipes with specific tips for alternative preparations or flavors. Each recipe includes prep time and yields in the header, ingredients (in US standard measurements) in a bullet list on a sidebar, step by step preparation instructions, and nutritional info in the footer. The nutritional info includes calories, fat, carbs, fiber, and protein content per serving. There are very few photographs included in the collection, but the ones which are provided are clear and appealing. The recipe ingredients are mostly easily sourced from any average grocery store. The recipes are varied and really tasty. All meals from breakfast through dinner including snacks are represented, including some vegetarian options.

It also includes metric conversion tables and a short author bio, along with an exhaustive links/bibliography for further reading. Honestly the completeness of the bibliography and links (to peer-reviewed scientifically worthy articles and resources) are probably worth the cost of the book by themselves. Very well done.

It's unclear from the publishing info available online, but the eARC I received has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references. I hope the ebook release version does also. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. Presumably that feature will carry through to the final release version. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers; this title is available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free.

Five stars, for readers who are committed to making lifestyle changes or living with family members fighting inflammatory disease diagnoses.