Body positive
From nourishing cookbooks to wellness-approved body bibles, Liz Connor finds page-turners for better mental and physical health
The best health and wellness books
The Doctor’s Kitchen
by Dr Rupy Aujla
Who better to tell you how to eat your way to wellness than an actual NHS doctor? That’s the idea behind Dr Rupy Aujla’s refreshingly honest cookbook, The Doctor’s Kitchen .As an advocate for food as medicine, Dr Aujla has loads of advice and remedies for everyday health issues, as well as healing recipes designed to supercharge your wellbeing. Putting down the pizza and fries doesn’t necessarily mean turning to rabbit food either. The recipes are surprisingly delicious and you can get stuck into everything, from sweet Bombay potatoes to Mexican black bean chilli. The Doctor’s Kitchen by Dr Rupy Aujla is published by Harper Thorsons, priced £14.99.
The Ultimate FODMAP Cookbook by Heather Thomas
If you suffer from digestive issues, chances are you’ll have a whole blacklist of evil foods that will leave you writhing on the floor in pain. Thankfully, the FODMAP regimen has revolutionised eating for the two in ten people who live with IBS in the UK, and there are loads of new gutfriendly recipe books on the subject to provide inspiration. This one has over 100 delicious recipes that won’t upset your stomach – from breakfast and lunch to dinner and supper. The Ultimate FODMAP Cookbook by Heather Thomas is published by Vermilion, priced £13.99.
The Fat-loss Plan: 100 Quick And Easy Recipes With Workouts by Joe Wicks
With over one million books already sold, which gym-lover hasn’t tried Joe Wicks’ famous Lean In 15 series? If you’re looking to shed a few pounds (or achieve the enviable abs of Mr Wicks), his latest instalment will help you to lose weight through guided diet plans and handy meal prep tips. There are over 100 delicious recipes for busy people who don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen, as well as a handful of Wicks-approved workouts to try. Sadly, no amount of salad or sit ups will help you to achieve his enviable good looks though. The Fat-loss Plan: 100 Quick And Easy Recipes With Workouts by Joe Wicks is published by Pan Macmillan,
priced £16.99.
The 4 Pillar Plan
by Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Forget Whole30, Atkins and 5:2, this year we’ll all be following The 4 Pillar
Plan. This revolutionary guide to taking the reins of your life revolves around, yep, you guessed it, four key pillars: relaxation, food, sleep and movement. Rather than going on a crazy diet and detox binge, Dr Rangan Chatterjee – star of BBC1’S
Doctor In The House – suggests making small, achievable changes in each of these key areas to bring balance and happiness to your life. You’ll be serenely drifting to work like a floating feather in no time. The 4 Pillar Plan by Dr Rangan Chatterjee is published by Penguin Life, priced £12.99.
The Food Effect Diet
by Dr Michelle Braude
Everyone knows the worst thing about a winter health kick is going without your favourite foods – wine, chocolate or pasta. Rather amazingly, Dr Michelle Braude’s new diet bible claims it can help you to shed six pounds in four weeks – and you won’t have to give up the holy trinity of food vices either. Believing that healthy eating shouldn’t be about restriction, she offers menu plans which can be adapted to suit different lifestyle and nutritional needs. Great news for vegans too – the only significant “no, no” here is red meat. The Food Effect Diet: Eat More, Weigh Less, Look And Feel Better by Dr Michelle Braude is published by Little Brown Group, priced £13.99.
The Model Method
by Hollie Grant
Ex-pastry chef and Pilates teacher Hollie Grant has become the poster girl for moving away from fad diets, thanks to her “strong not skinny” ethos. Her latest book, The Model
Method, is all about eating and sweating your way to a flexible bod and lifelong wellness. As well as heaps of nourishing recipes, there are Pilates and Hiit-inspired exercises to help strengthen, tone and bring mindful balance. The Model Method by Hollie Grant is
published by Piaktus, priced £16.99.