166: The Top 5 Whole Food Plant Based Books

Jarrod: Welcome to the Power On Plants Podcast, where we elevate your whole food plant based experience. If you are a longtime listener, we are so honored that you are part of our family. If you're a new listener, welcome, we are thrilled to have you with us. Now we are podcasters, obviously, you know that, but what you may not know is Anita is an avid podcast listener.

I mean, I don't think a day goes by when you don't listen to a podcast.

Anita: No, it's pretty much every single day, even though I'm busy all day long, you know I still find time to do that. 

Jarrod: Yes, but not only do we enjoy listening to podcasts, but we also enjoy reading books and that leads us to today's episode.

Anita: Absolutely, because this week is Book Lover's Day, National Book Lover's Day. And, we wanted to share with you our top five reads that are plant based. We absolutely love every one of these books and we highly recommend them. And, we want to start off with number one, it's called Escape Root, R O O T.

The secret passage to lifelong wellness. It's written by Scott Laird. He is a naturopath.

Jarrod: He's a naturopathic doctor, yes.

Anita: And Dr. Neil Barnard, who is a MD also wrote the forward of this book. So it is reliable information. It is very, very good, especially if you're just getting started. But honestly, even if you've been doing this a while, or you've been vegan for a while, there are a lot of these things that you probably didn't know.

This one is just written so well. It's absolutely enjoyable to read and discuss. I mean, if you had a plant-based group or something that you were going through and you just wanted to read a chapter at a time, this book would be perfect for that. Um, he doesn't go super in depth into scientific information, although there's plenty of it in here, but we're gonna talk about another book that if you're a science nerd, like one of us is then, um, you would probably love that one as well, but this is such a great place to start.

And even if you're not new, like I said, there's so many good things in here. Like one thing I specifically love about this book is how he talks about raw foods, because none of us get enough raw food, unless you're just a raw food eater and that's all you eat .Odds are you're not getting enough.

None is a strong word, but I'm just saying, I don't think hardly any of us get enough raw foods, unless we're really paying attention to it. There's some simple ways to do that and get more into your life. He touches on that, but he explains why. Why is it important that you get raw foods and what happens when foods are cooked, and should all foods be eaten raw? No, of course not. All foods shouldn't eaten raw and some foods actually get more nutritional benefit if you eat them cooked.

So he goes into some of that. I absolutely love that part of the book. He also talks about different things like sleep deficiency, water deficiency, just overall health toward the end of the book, which is very interesting as well. And then just some of the common myths that we talk about as well

like where do you get your protein. These things are great to hear over and over again because I promise you , you're gonna hear this question over and over again if you are going plant based. Well, where do you get your protein? So we do have an episode on that as well. We may have more than one episode because we talk about it a lot, but it's

just good to read it. He's put all this information together in such a great way.

Jarrod: Yes, I wanted to echo exactly what you're saying. It's of easy read, but it's very interesting. It's very good information. I would say probably in one or two sittings, you could get through it unless you're just a speed reader you could probably get through in about an hour, but an excellent book, especially a good one to start off with

Anita: Well, I like the fact that he is also a believer. So if you're a Christian or you're a messianic or something like that, you're probably gonna really love this book.

Jarrod: He's coming from that perspective.

Anita: The next book that Jarrod absolutely loves, I have to say I love it too that's why we're talking about it today, is How Not To Die by Dr.

Michael Greger. If you have not read this or don't have it in your library, you need to have it there. Now this isn't one you're gonna sit down and read in 30 minutes to an hour. It's quite lengthy, quite thick. And the thing about Dr. Gregor that I love is how he gets his information. He's plant based, because

he does research. He's so into research. And, if you don't know about Jarrod, now I'm gonna tell you, he has a cellular and molecular biology degree and has worked in research. So he's really particular about not putting anything out there unless it's research backed. And that is how Dr. Greger is. So much so that he has a team of researchers that work with him.

And all they do every day is comb through the research. Just tons of articles every year.

Jarrod: He was saying that there are about a hundred articles a day that come out. So they go through and they look at what's the design, who funded it, is it reliable, were there enough participants in the study that we can actually trust the results? He and he jokes too.

If you're looking for anecdotal information, if you're looking for my barber's aunt tried this one herb time, made this thing disappear, he is not your guy. But want something that is solid. Well, no, we're not either, but if you want something that is solid and backed by research reliable,

he's the one to go to.

Anita: Yeah. And we're all about that. And I love how he broke this book down. So it's How Not To Die from, and the different chapters are things like heart disease, lung disease, brain disease, digestive cancer, infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, how not to die from blood cancers and kidney disease, breast cancer, suicidal depression, prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease.

Then he goes on into let's see other causes. And so what's really interesting about that list is you listen to it and you think, what in the world, like, how's he gonna tell me how to avoid all those things in one book? You know, why as crazy as it sounds, plant based can help with all those things... all those things.

And , you hear, oh, things are too good to be true. And this one thing is gonna cure everything you have, but plant based really does so many of those things. We believe it's because it's how the Creator created us to live. If you look at Genesis 1:29, you'll see that there, but the science backs it up.

This man is all about science. He lives, sleeps and breathes the research and it is there. But it's been there for years and we want to get it into your hands. That's why we do what we do. And that's why Dr. Greger does what he does.

Jarrod: You said it's been there for years, but I think it just really hasn't gotten the spotlight that deserves, but he's doing his part. We're doing our part by getting on this podcast every week and sharing the information with you. But he's doing his part by creating these books.

Now he is a doctor and he writes like a doctor, but it's very understandable. I mean, it's not a lot of medical jargon. 

But it is more, almost like a reference book in way. 

Anita: Mm-hmm it keep it on your the 

Jarrod: whole thing cover to cover immediately, but it's a great book. We highly recommend it.

Anita: Absolutely fantastic. How Not To Die by Michael Greger. Then I wanna move into something else that I think is just a fun read. It's an older book written by a man named Rip Esselstyn. Now, if you've never heard of Rip before, you're in for a real treat. In 2005, Rip was a firefighter and he encouraged and convinced his entire firehouse to eat plant based to try to be well, to be the best at what they do. And that's what we are all about. Empowering you to do the things that your body normally holds you back from doing. And you just don't feel like, even though you want to do those things.

And so he's coming from that same heart of wanting to help people to be their absolute best, to have the energy that they need to do all the things that they wanna do in life. And I love this book because it's one of the easier reads like the first one we talked about Escape Root. It's easier to sit down and read, but it is packed with really great information. You'll find yourself laughing out loud. He is so funny. You'll really enjoy this read. Just take, for example, some of the chapters in his book, poops from heaven, that's one, , that's one of the titles of one of the chapters and it's true, but he has a way of putting it into words that will make you laugh. And he'll explain why that is. And, 

people say to us all the time after we've been working with them. I never knew that going to the bathroom every day or a couple of times a day was actually normal.

I never knew that I didn't have to spend 30 minutes on the toilet. I mean, it's like you walk in and it's kinda like a revolving door. You're walking back out. You wanna save time? This is one of the ways you're gonna save time with whole food plant base. I'm just being real y'all. Um, but anyway, things like that, he's just so funny.

 I won't spoil it and read any that other titles here, but you get the picture. It's a really an enjoyable read. And in the back he does give some good recipes as well.

Jarrod: The next book on our list, number four is called Fiber Fueled. Now this is by a doctor named Will Bulsiewicz. If you wanna know the spelling, you can look in her show notes. It's down there. It's a little different though than the way it may sound, but he is actually a board certified gastroenterologist.

 What I love about this book is he comes at it from the perspective of your gut health, because you cannot really separate gut health from overall health. Like we talk so much about food.

Well, where is the food processed? Where is it broken?

Anita: Exactly! What part of your body does it physically touch as it moves through? Your gut. You're absorbing all those things or you're not.

Jarrod: Or if your gut's not healthy, maybe you're absorbing molecules that are bigger than what you were intended to absorb. And, and that can cause some issues. But also too, you've have the bacteria in your gut that have huge health consequences.

So in this particular book, he really dives deeper into that aspect of overall health.

Anita: It's so interesting because your gut health affects so many things. It can affect your mental clarity.

It affects your ability to feel like doing what you wanna do. I'm going back to that, but that's just my thing, Like I never felt like doing what I wanted to do and now I do. And it's because of this. My gut is now healthy. That lining has been restored. The good bacteria are there.

Jarrod: And that affects mood, affects your immunity. It affects so many different things that I think we wouldn't normally associate with it.

But in this book he makes you aware. And like I said, it's an easy read. It's not a lot of medical terminology. So I think really anybody would gain from this book and enjoy it.

Anita: I agree.

Jarrod: All right. So now what is number five? 

Anita: Well, these weren't in any particular order, I'll say that first but

Jarrod: Last, but not least.

Anita: No, the fifth book is one of our all time favorites. Why? Because it's made up of all of our favorite recipes. It's the Power On Plants Cookbook. So if you want to know what do Jarrod and Anita cook? I wanna know what they make. I wanna know how they make this so quick and easy.

I wanna know how they healed their bodies, how they lost 75 pounds and kept it off. How Anita got rid of so many of the crazy symptoms she was having from autoimmune disease, her, um, fibrocystic breast disease. 

I had a bladder disease called interstitial cystitis that is now gone.

It was like having a urinary tract infection every day. It was miserable. So all these things and more have changed for us. And this is a simple way to do it. So we are not just about recipes. If you haven't been around here long, I want you to know this isn't just the place you come to get recipes. We're about you taking those in the beginning and using them to start seeing what we do to get those foods that we love in a way that actually love us back.

So you've got to have the foods you love. You've gotta still have your lasagna, your taco, your pizzas, your burgers, your Shepherd's pie, your fettuccini Alfredo, your banana pudding. Your yes, you can still have sweets because carbs aren't evil. It's just the way we eat the carbs when they're refined and just not good for us.

So once you know the new way to have them in a way, they'll actually love you back, your life will start changing. You'll start dropping pounds naturally, without having to worry about counting calories, keeping up with points, all those crazy things. So we've shared some of our very favorite recipes, but like I said, this is a great place to start.

And then as we go, we teach you how to change up things, how to do food formulas. We teach you the secrets of getting the formulas so you can change any recipe and make it your own. But this is where you start with our cookbook. So you can start seeing how we do that.

Jarrod: And we didn't just write the cookbook. We actually go and reference it. 

Anita: Oh, that's so funny.

Jarrod: I mean, we actually back and look at it because, well, now we have four

Anita: times.

Jarrod: hours a week. Well, yes. And we have several kids. Um, and then sometimes we may have myself where I'm the beneficiary of your recipes, but I don't necessarily make

Anita: I think you mean the taste tester, extraordinaire. think that's what you mean,

Jarrod: Taste tester, Supreme. so we do actually go back and look at our own recipes. 

Anita: It is kind of funny. Isn't that funny, but we do, we're like now wait, did I put that in there or did I not? I don't know. I can't remember.

Jarrod: Was it one or was it two?

Anita: We love these recipes because they are quick. They're simple and they taste so good. It's so easy. Seriously, our kids have been making these recipes. Most of them since they were seven years old. It's just that simple. That's how intentional I've been about creating these.

And I can't wait for you to experience that too. And when you find the things that work for you in life, you find your new favorites. You're not just doing one thing for yourself. You're not just getting the healthy foods. You've gotta think about how those healthier foods, but the meals that you still love that are actually healthy, are pushing out the foods that were holding you back that were sabotaging your health.

Why are Jared and I so passionate about this cookbook besides the fact that we love how the recipes taste it's because it supports our mission. We believe that no woman should ever have to miss out on the opportunity she wants to take in life, just because her body doesn't feel like taking them.

 We're passionate about empowering you to live an extraordinary life by helping your body heal from the inside out with the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, whole plant foods. And when you know how to regularly get more of those foods in the way that's realistic with your busy schedule and quick and easy to make, and actually tastes great too.

You have the formula for lasting health. And what we always say is healthy equals simple plus delicious, right? Because if you can get healthy food into your body in a way that you actually love the way it tastes, and it's easy for you to make, it's realistic with your busy schedule, that's a winning formula for health, because it's going to last unlike diets where you're just miserable and hangry all the time.

 That's not gonna happen when you know how to get whole plant foods on a regular basis in a way that you actually love. Do you love these recipes, Jarrod?

Jarrod: You know I do. Love 'em every day.

Anita: We love these recipes and we love all of these books we've shared with you today. If you don't have a copy of them, go out and get one. You can find all of them at your local bookstore. And our cookbook it's digital. So you'll find it at PowerOnPlants.com/cookbook. We love that it's digital because you can have it on your iPad.

You can have it on your iPhone and Jarrod, in his genius, made it clickable. So all you have to do is click the recipe. It takes you right to that recipe. And sister, if you're like me, you'll love pretty pictures. And I have put a picture for every recipe in there. It's very important. That's why they're there. So go and grab your copy of the Power On Plants Cookbook and get your copy of these other books too.

They're amazing. You are going to love it, write us and let us know how it goes. And when you try the new recipes, tag us on Instagram. We cannot wait to celebrate you and the new life that's waiting for you just up ahead. Hope you're having a great week and we'll see you soon.