Alison Marras - The Paleo Gut Healing Cookbook: 75 Nourishing Paleo + AIP Recipes & 10 Practices to Strengthen Digestion

75 Nourishing Paleo + AIP-Friendly Recipes with 10 Must-Have Practices to Strengthen Digestion and a 14-Day Gut Refresh Meal Plan

ALISON MARRAS

Every human cell is impacted by the activities of our gut microbes. A healthy gut microbial community is essential for our health. In fact, about 90 percent of all diseases (including autoimmune disease) can be traced back to the health of the gut and our gut microbiomes. Additional gut-health linked conditions are as wide-ranging as cancer, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, neurodegenerative diseases, autism, ulcers, liver disease, gout, PCOS, osteoporosis, systemic infections, allergies, asthma, and the list continues.

Nourishing the root of our health, our gut health, is vital to the prevention and support of such conditions. Our gut microbes perform many different essential functions that help us to stay healthy. These include digestion, vitamin production, detoxification, control of gut barrier integrity, regulation of cholesterol metabolism, providing resistance to pathogens, immune regulation, neurotransmitter regulation, regulation of gene expression, and more! In fact, our gut microbiome can be considered a virtual organ, so its easy to see that supporting gut health is essential for our overall health.

Experts are increasingly recognizing that certain dietary factors are key contributors to many chronic illnessesincluding autoimmune disease and lifestyle-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesitymediated, at least in part, through the interaction between the foods we eat and the health of our guts. The use of food as medicine is something Ive been pioneering for almost a decade, and much of this work has been centered around the Paleo and AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) diets.

Paleo is a nutrient-focused whole-foods diet, with the goal to maximize foods that heal and minimize foods that harm. It improves health by providing balanced and complete nutrition while avoiding most processed and refined foods and empty calories. Contrary to the modern USDA dietary guidelines that have led the public astray for decades, Paleo aims to restore our bodies to nature. And, its not a quick fix or magic pill diet that so many of us have been fed over the years... its not a fad that dissolves under scientific scrutiny; rather, every Paleo principle is solidly rooted in the latest research and data.

The Autoimmune Protocol is a therapeutic version of the Paleo template designed to help regulate the immune system, mitigating autoimmune and other chronic diseases using key elimination, reintroduction, and maintenance phases. There have been several clinical trials conducted with the use of AIP for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (2017) and Hashimotos Thyroiditis (2019) showing a significant reduction in symptoms. This reinforces that autoimmune disease activity is directly linked to our food choices and how we decide to live our lives. And, while the AIP is not a substitute for medical intervention, this also highlights how those of us with autoimmune disease can regain our health by changing what we eat and making more informed choices about sleep, activity, and stress... and thats some pretty darned good news!

Heres more good news: using the Paleo and Autoimmune Protocol principles to advance your healing journey doesnt have to be stressful, overwhelming, or bland. You can harness these effective tools while having fun in the kitchen and finding balance in your life with the right knowledge and support. And thats where The Paleo Gut Healing Cookbook comes in!

Alison brings her personal and professional experience, combined with her love of food into this approachable cookbook, jam-packed with delicious recipes! Shes making a gut-healthy lifestyle more practical, breaking down the foundations for you so its attainable and joyful. While the diet and recipe aspect is a huge component of this cookbook, so are the leading chapters to help set you up for success. Alison also helps you put everything you learn here into practice with the included two-week meal plan and additional resources.

With this cookbook, Alison will inspire you to take control of your health with delicious, eclectic flavors, recreating your (and her) favorites like Puerto Rican Pasteln, Greek Moussaka, Chicken Pad Thai, and Coconut Custard Pie just to name a few. Shell sneak gut-healing foods like broths, ferments, and prebiotic-rich vegetables into meals you wouldnt imagine using them in like Hot Cocoa Bone Broth and introduce you to healing herbs, especially using the Drinks and Tonics chapter while teaching you why along the way! Expect to feel well-fed and empowered using this beautiful and indispensable resource on your gut health journey with Paleo.

Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D., New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Approach

The way you feed your body has a lot to do with your healthand your gut is the root of it all. Every cell, tissue, and organ depends on the bodys digestive system to provide the nutrients it needs to keep functioning. But in todays world, we are constantly bombarded by chemicals, processed foods, additives, and toxins. This exposure accumulates in our bodies and contributes to inflammation and leads to disease. The sugarfilled Standard American Diet, over-the-counter and prescription medications, exhaustion, and chronic stress are constantly challenging how our bodies work and how our digestive systems function for optimal health.

A healthy gut is an integral part of overall health, but adopting new eating styles to support your gut can feel like a far stretch. You may be asking: Do I need to be gluten-free? How do I substitute for my many food sensitivities? What exactly is bone broth? Where do I get bones from?

It can be a lot to take in all at once. And when we are trying new things and searching for answersall while symptoms or illnesses are holding us backwho wouldnt be tempted to reach for a quick fix? In the long run though, healing your gut and caring for your body is an ongoing lifestyle, and learning how to make this work is imperative to your success, health, and happiness. Thats where I come in.

As a nutritional therapy practitioner and passionate, self-taught home chef, I believe healing your body with real food can be a stress-free lifestyle, filled with joy and flavor. No fuss and no fluff.

For me, cooking, meal prepping, eating more mindfully, practicing self-care, and honoring my bio-individuality have all become second nature to me. And Im doing this while feeding a family, too! Making these practices a regular routine is one of the biggest reasons Ive succeeded at managing my illnesses and putting them into remission.

But it wasnt always this easy. I didnt suddenly eat more intuitively, or know how to sub dairy in a dish I was craving, or instantly see progress with my many digestive symptoms and inflammation. It wasnt carefree to navigate eating choices in social situations or at holidays or while traveling. At first, it was overwhelming, isolating, and stressful!