Books Recommended to Read #2

Over the past four years I have read a mountain of books on a variety of topics. Following is a very short list of a few you may enjoy reading for learning and reference. They cover a range of topics but stay close to Caramel and Parsley's interests these days, namely: our health (food) and our environment including gardening. Most of the books are recent publications and the others - well, some things are timeless.

#1 "Food - What the Heck Should I Eat?

"This book is meant to be a road map, based on the best

and latest science of what we eat ...

Simply put: Food is the doorway to living well and loving well -

and fixing much of what's wrong with our world"

~ Mark Hyman, (Pg 8)

"Food - What the Heck Should I Eat?" by Mark Hyman

This book has a mountain of information which is beneficial if you are confused about what to eat these days. It is very easy to read and explains the connection between food, health and chronic disease.

Stately buck deer in Fraser Valley urban city

#2 - Changing Faces

"All people who care about wildlife, other animals, and most of all,

care about the children now being born growing up in a toxic world,

must choose to work together and begin making better decisions"

~ Judy Hoy (Pg 311)

"Changing Faces - The Consequences of Exposure to Gene and Thyroid Disrupting Toxins" by Judy Hoy

This book, backed by 20 years practical experience, details birth defects in birds and animals with the likely cause being toxic chemicals in the environment. All proceeds from her book go to the Bitteroot Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Montana

#3 - "Pure, White and Deadly"

" ... if only a small fraction of what is already known about

the effects of sugar

were to be revealed in relation to any other material

used as a food additive,

that material would be promptly banned."

~ John Yudkin Pg 3

"Pure, White and Deadly" by John Yudkin

A classic written originally in the 1970's with the subtitle "How sugar is killing us and what we can do to stop it". Dr. John Yudkin was vilified with the publication of this book which was reprinted with introduction by Dr. Robert Lustig. This short book is a "must read" for anyone who believes that sugar is harmless especially to young children. It will have maximum impact on how you think about sugar forever in the future.

Yallourn Brown Coal Power Plant, Victoria, Australia

#4 - Plan B 3.0

"The choice is ours - yours and mine. We can stay with business as usual and preside over an economy that continues to destroy its natural support systems until it destroys itself, or we can adopt Plan B and be the generation that changes direction ... "
~ Lester B. Brown Pg 287

"Plan B 3.0 Mobilizing to Save Civilization" by Lester R. Brown

I recently discovered Lester Brown and am sorry it was not sooner. Both his books and video are easily understandable and I appreciate the fact that he offers solutions instead of simply repeating the problems with regard to climate change and related concerns affecting us all.

Simple raised bed grows plentiful vegetables

#5 - "Square Foot Gardening"

" ... if you try my method with an open mind,

you'll soon become a gourmet gardener growing the best crops

with the least amount of work."

~ Mel Bartholomew Pg 8

"Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew

There is a large amount of gardening information in this classic reference book which has been well used over the years. In the past I have had the luxury of large home vegetable gardens but now we are losing precious urban growing space to permanent shade from 100 year old cedars. Unfortunately, most of the shade covers the vegetable garden, which is limiting what I can grow. So this year we are converting the "sunny" part of our back lawn into four 4 x 4 raised bed gardens. I have already planned where to plant our favourite Superfoods and am looking forward to a simple summer of gardening in the sunshine. Happy summer gardening!

In closing ...

As mentioned, "The subjects of these books are what Caramel and Parsley is all about - a blog with first hand information on living a simpler, healthier lifestyle, food selection and toxins to avoid, organic gardening, and being kind to our environment." Enjoy reading one or more of these books and check out other books by these authors. Keep learning, be the best you can be, and enjoy every day.

Book Information:

#1 - "Food - What the Heck Should I Eat?" by Mark Hyman, MD, Little, Brown & Co, 2018
#2 - "Changing Faces - The Consequences of Exposure to Gene and Thyroid Disrupting Toxins" by Judy Hoy, CreateSpace, 2017
#3 - "Pure, White and Deadly" by John Yudkin, Penguin Books, 2012
#4 - "Plan B 3.0 Mobilizing to Save Civilization" by Lester R. Brown, WW Norton, 2008
#5 - "Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew, Rodale, 2005