When I began to look into the nutritional balancing program “prescribed” by Dr. Lawrence Wilson, I quickly became overwhelmed by the difficulty of knowing what to eat.  The permitted foods are so (relatively) few, that I couldn’t imagine what was left, besides a plateful of cooked broccoli or green beans.  (Not that I mind broccoli or green beans, but one can only eat a plate of broccoli so many times before the idea is quite old.)

So I set out to find a suitable cookbook, and what I found was Joyful Cooking: In the Pursuit of Good Health. It is specifically written for the purpose of nutritional balancing, and contains 100+ recipes.  Exactly what I was looking for!

When the book arrived, I was both disappointed and relieved to find that it does not adhere strictly to the dietary limitations laid out on Dr. Wilson’s website.  I have some misgivings about a few of the specifics, and these seem to be the very specifics that are “skipped over” in Ms. Feldman’s book.  This means it maintains the heart of the diet — and definitely holds to a whole foods diet — but without quite such extreme limitations.  (For example, there are salmon recipes in the book.  Dr. Wilson recommends against salmon, suggesting only tiny fish like sardines are sufficiently free of mercury.  But how many calories’ worth of sardines can one person eat?!)

More Than a Cookbook

Joyful Cooking is more than just a cookbook, though!  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually contains a good deal of information about nutritional balancing.  Just enough of it is “theoretical” to provide the necessary background to the unfamiliar; mostly it’s just practical.  I mean, this is a really useful book.  The recipes don’t even start until page 128, and that’s because the first 128 pages are packed with other relevant information.

The first chapter is about how food affects our health.  Chapter two briefly describes the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), along with a brief discussion of the Oriental philosophy of food as being either “yin” or “yang.”  (It has to do with balancing our food intake so we are not overly moist or dry, hot or cold, etc.)  The remainder of the chapter consists of information about various foods.  It’s a little hard to summarize — just think of it as foundational information to cooking with whole foods.  There are brief descriptions of certain powerhouse foods.  There’s some information about juicing.  There’s some information about spices from various parts of the world.  There are tips for things to avoid (certain additives, for example).  The chapter finishes up with a handy table of recommended foods for the nutritional balancing program.

Chapter three explains nutritional balancing science.

Chapter four is about getting started.  It is an extremely useful summary of the nutritional balancing information.  First there’s what you need to know about the supplements that ‘most everybody takes, as well as the dietary recommendations for everyone.  Then there’s an overview of the slow oxidizer diet and the fast oxidizer diet.  These are followed by suggested 5-day menus for slow oxidizers and for fast oxidizers.  A few more pages of practical eating tips are here, as well.

Chapter five is about tackling weight issues.  Chapter six is specifically for expectant moms.  Chapter seven is about children.

Cooking

In chapter eight we begin gearing up for the actual cooking.  Cooking methods are described, and we’re told what ingredients should stock our pantries.  Finally, beginning at page 128, the recipes begin.

They’re all simple.  The layout is clear, attractive, and easy-to-read.  Many recipes include additional tips or variations.  It very much reads as a “real people” cookbook — like you sat down with someone who actually cooks like this in her own kitchen and she told you what her cooking routines look like.

Despite a relatively limited number of working ingredients, there’s a good deal of variety here.  All of the recipes are simple — but well-seasoned.  Even just reading through the text, you can get a feel for the idea of “quality ingredients + simple preparation = good food.”  When there’s a “cheat”  ingredient — like tomatoes — it’s clearly noted so you can use the recipe or skip it, as best suits your needs.

There are four whole pages in the midst of the recipe section just of tips for incorporating more vegetables into your diet.  There’s a whole section specifically for kid-friendly recipes.

Appendices

After the recipes, some appendices contain even more useful information about nutritional balancing.  First, there is an explanation of hair mineral analysis.  Appendix B briefly lists the “basic modalities of nutritional balancing.”  (This is all of the elements that are suggested components of a nutritional balancing program.)  Appendix C is a chart of heavy metals, including common sources.   Major vitamins and minerals are described, together with their roles and where they’re found.  Finally, there are some recommended resources for further reading.

All in all, I would say that if you’re interested at all in nutritional balancing, this is a must-have.  And if you’re not, but you believe in a whole foods diet and natural lifestyle for health, you’ll probably still find it highly beneficial.