Required Reading:
Research and Writings by Jeff Leach and Rob Knight:
Both of these guys are world leaders in microbiome research and are embarking on really cool projects such as the Human Food Project and the American Gut Project. Jeff Leach is an anthropologist (and Paleo diet adherent) who is trying to find out what is the ideal diet for the human microbiome. Rob Knight is a microbiologist studying a zillion different topics related to disease and the microbiome. Rob Knight also just came out with a book, Follow Your Gut. Also check out Rob Knight's free online course Gut Check.
"Some of My Best Friends Are Germs" by Michael Pollan (link to download the article)
Michael Pollan recently wrote an article published in the New York Times describing some of the latest research that is being done in the field of intestinal microbiology, and the wide-ranging implications of this new information. Incredibly, this field is still in its infancy, yet this new knowledge about the ecosystems that live in our guts is of critical importance to the treatment of every disease of modern society, including ours. What these researchers are discovering is truly remarkable, and they are proving with modern empirical research the importance of following traditional diets full of probiotic and fermented foods, as well as the importance of being outside and getting dirty in the development of a healthy immune system. Essentially, what they are discovering is that modern people are so unhealthy largely because our gut flora is imbalanced due to our germ-phobic culture and ultra-clean modern lives, plus our unhealthy diets based on processed, pasteurized, and sterilized foods. The explosion of autoimmune disorders and allergies in the Western world is just one example of the role that gut flora plays in helping or hurting our immune systems. This article, along with the Nourishing Traditions and Gut and Psychology Syndrome, is critical to developing an understanding of the role that gut flora plays in the disease processes associated with cystic fibrosis.
Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
by Sally Fallon (Link to Amazon)
An absolute necessity for an informed person to read. Based on the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, this book blasts away the modern, incorrect assertions that saturated fats and red meats are bad for you, and has fantastic information on what all traditional diets around the world have included, and what traditional nutritional wisdom has to offer the malnourished modern man. Read the whole book. The recipe section has facts on the outsides of the pages that should not be missed. She also explains in great detail which fats (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) are good for you and why. This info on fat is a wonderful complement to the section on fat in Paul Pitchford's book.
Recommended Reading:
The Probiotics Revolution by Dr. Gary Huffnagle (link)
This is a very informative book written by an immunologist who outlines how probiotic (i.e. beneficial) bacteria in the guts are absolutely critical to human health, and how they are an integral part of a variety of our vital body processes, especially the immune system. This is so important for us CFers to know about, especially since our gut microbiome is frequently compromised due to so much use of pharmaceuticals. The book is a few years old (2007) and there has been a TON of research on this topic since then, but in general his info is still relevant and correct. The dietary suggestions in the back of the book can be ignored (i.e. eat low fat and whole grains), but the info he presents on prebiotics should be closely noted for those who do not have SIBO.
The Wild Medicine Solution by Guido Masé (Link)
Guido is my teacher at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. His book is a wonderful intro to some of the more commonly used herbs, their chemical constituents, and the science behind why they work on the human body.
The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The science of advanced aromatherapy by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt (link)
This book is an excellent introduction to the theory and practice of using essential oils for improving one's health. He weaves in a lot of science in a very coherent way, which is essential for understanding how essential oils work and how to use them safely. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to begin exploring aromatherapy in a serious way.
Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (Link)
This book describes the underlying cause of most diseases of the modern world: gut dysbiosis, or leaky gut syndrome. Dr. Campbell-McBride does an incredibly thorough job explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatments of leaky gut syndrome through natural means, i.e. diet, lifestyle change, and nutritional supplementation. Her clinical experience treating and "curing" children and adults with autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, autoimmune disorders, various digestive diseases, etc. (including her own formerly-autistic son) is well-documented and backed by the latest scientific research on the importance of a healthy intestinal flora for complete health (see Michael Pollan's latest NYT article as well). Her research is directly applicable to CFers, as we share many symptoms with those suffering from digestive and neurological diseases. Dr. C-M does a fantastic job integrating information that is also present in both Healing with Whole Foods and Nourishing Traditions, as I have tried to do on this website. At the roots of the problem (and Dr. C-M refers to the digestive system as the roots of the immune system) is an imbalance in the intestinal flora, which is especially applicable to CFers given that we are constantly on and off antibiotics that wreck havoc on the beneficial bacteria in our entire body. Her information on the microbiome is a bit outdated, but overall the book is a useful introduction to the idea that it is our diet that is causing the diseases of modernity.
Between Heaven and Earth by Beinfield and Korn (link)
For a fantastic introduction to the Five Phase Theory of Chinese Medicine, please pick up this wonderfully written book. Discusses the basics of Classical Chinese Medical theory and nutrition as applicable to the Phase-constitutions, written in a way that is understandable to the Western Mind. I highly recommend this book is you are interested in learning more about Chinese Medicine.
Great Websites:
Chris Kresser's blog - http://chriskresser.com/
Chris Kresser is a licensed acupuncturist and medical researcher who writes about how nutrition, specifically the Paleo and SCD/GAPS diets, can treat and cure many diseases. His articles are very thorough and well-researched, so his website has become my go-to source for good info whenever I have questions on a random nutrition topic. He's one smart dude.
The Daily Lipid blog - http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com
This is an excellent resource for the nitty gritty details of the biochemistry related to nutrition. Chris Masterjohn is a genius in relation to all questions of carb and lipid metabolism. He is another Paleo diet buff.
Robb Wolf's blog - http://robbwolf.com
Like Chris Kresser, Robb Wolf is another science geek who applies evolutionary biology to human health in order to figure out what life choices we should make to optimize health. I love listening to his lectures and podcasts - he's always one to throw mind-bending factoids at you with lightning speed.
SCD Lifestyle - http://scdlifestyle.com/
Jordan and Steve are two guys who have suffered from serious digestive diseases (Celiacs and Crohn's) and have successfully treated themselves (and many others through their website) with adherence to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. They also have a lot of great info and videos on supplementation for better digestion, how to exercise while sick, and a lot of other relevant topics. They're pretty funny and keep things lighthearted in the face of not-so-fun chronic diseases. Although they are focused on intestinal diseases such as Celiacs disease, Crohn's, IBS, and ulcerative colitis, most of their info and research is directly applicable to CF, since a lot of our symptoms are related to digestion.
Nom Nom Paleo - http://nomnompaleo.com
Michelle has put together a great food blog with lots of easy recipes that follow the Paleo template, and most are SCD-legal too. I visit sometimes just to drool. She also has a lot of pretty photos and how-to videos, plus links to other Paleo food blogs and websites. She has two really adorable kids, so she has a lot of kid-friendly recipes in there for you CF parents who need some meal ideas.
Research and Writings by Jeff Leach and Rob Knight:
Both of these guys are world leaders in microbiome research and are embarking on really cool projects such as the Human Food Project and the American Gut Project. Jeff Leach is an anthropologist (and Paleo diet adherent) who is trying to find out what is the ideal diet for the human microbiome. Rob Knight is a microbiologist studying a zillion different topics related to disease and the microbiome. Rob Knight also just came out with a book, Follow Your Gut. Also check out Rob Knight's free online course Gut Check.
"Some of My Best Friends Are Germs" by Michael Pollan (link to download the article)
Michael Pollan recently wrote an article published in the New York Times describing some of the latest research that is being done in the field of intestinal microbiology, and the wide-ranging implications of this new information. Incredibly, this field is still in its infancy, yet this new knowledge about the ecosystems that live in our guts is of critical importance to the treatment of every disease of modern society, including ours. What these researchers are discovering is truly remarkable, and they are proving with modern empirical research the importance of following traditional diets full of probiotic and fermented foods, as well as the importance of being outside and getting dirty in the development of a healthy immune system. Essentially, what they are discovering is that modern people are so unhealthy largely because our gut flora is imbalanced due to our germ-phobic culture and ultra-clean modern lives, plus our unhealthy diets based on processed, pasteurized, and sterilized foods. The explosion of autoimmune disorders and allergies in the Western world is just one example of the role that gut flora plays in helping or hurting our immune systems. This article, along with the Nourishing Traditions and Gut and Psychology Syndrome, is critical to developing an understanding of the role that gut flora plays in the disease processes associated with cystic fibrosis.
Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
by Sally Fallon (Link to Amazon)
An absolute necessity for an informed person to read. Based on the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, this book blasts away the modern, incorrect assertions that saturated fats and red meats are bad for you, and has fantastic information on what all traditional diets around the world have included, and what traditional nutritional wisdom has to offer the malnourished modern man. Read the whole book. The recipe section has facts on the outsides of the pages that should not be missed. She also explains in great detail which fats (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) are good for you and why. This info on fat is a wonderful complement to the section on fat in Paul Pitchford's book.
Recommended Reading:
The Probiotics Revolution by Dr. Gary Huffnagle (link)
This is a very informative book written by an immunologist who outlines how probiotic (i.e. beneficial) bacteria in the guts are absolutely critical to human health, and how they are an integral part of a variety of our vital body processes, especially the immune system. This is so important for us CFers to know about, especially since our gut microbiome is frequently compromised due to so much use of pharmaceuticals. The book is a few years old (2007) and there has been a TON of research on this topic since then, but in general his info is still relevant and correct. The dietary suggestions in the back of the book can be ignored (i.e. eat low fat and whole grains), but the info he presents on prebiotics should be closely noted for those who do not have SIBO.
The Wild Medicine Solution by Guido Masé (Link)
Guido is my teacher at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. His book is a wonderful intro to some of the more commonly used herbs, their chemical constituents, and the science behind why they work on the human body.
The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The science of advanced aromatherapy by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt (link)
This book is an excellent introduction to the theory and practice of using essential oils for improving one's health. He weaves in a lot of science in a very coherent way, which is essential for understanding how essential oils work and how to use them safely. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to begin exploring aromatherapy in a serious way.
Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (Link)
This book describes the underlying cause of most diseases of the modern world: gut dysbiosis, or leaky gut syndrome. Dr. Campbell-McBride does an incredibly thorough job explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatments of leaky gut syndrome through natural means, i.e. diet, lifestyle change, and nutritional supplementation. Her clinical experience treating and "curing" children and adults with autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, autoimmune disorders, various digestive diseases, etc. (including her own formerly-autistic son) is well-documented and backed by the latest scientific research on the importance of a healthy intestinal flora for complete health (see Michael Pollan's latest NYT article as well). Her research is directly applicable to CFers, as we share many symptoms with those suffering from digestive and neurological diseases. Dr. C-M does a fantastic job integrating information that is also present in both Healing with Whole Foods and Nourishing Traditions, as I have tried to do on this website. At the roots of the problem (and Dr. C-M refers to the digestive system as the roots of the immune system) is an imbalance in the intestinal flora, which is especially applicable to CFers given that we are constantly on and off antibiotics that wreck havoc on the beneficial bacteria in our entire body. Her information on the microbiome is a bit outdated, but overall the book is a useful introduction to the idea that it is our diet that is causing the diseases of modernity.
Between Heaven and Earth by Beinfield and Korn (link)
For a fantastic introduction to the Five Phase Theory of Chinese Medicine, please pick up this wonderfully written book. Discusses the basics of Classical Chinese Medical theory and nutrition as applicable to the Phase-constitutions, written in a way that is understandable to the Western Mind. I highly recommend this book is you are interested in learning more about Chinese Medicine.
Great Websites:
Chris Kresser's blog - http://chriskresser.com/
Chris Kresser is a licensed acupuncturist and medical researcher who writes about how nutrition, specifically the Paleo and SCD/GAPS diets, can treat and cure many diseases. His articles are very thorough and well-researched, so his website has become my go-to source for good info whenever I have questions on a random nutrition topic. He's one smart dude.
The Daily Lipid blog - http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com
This is an excellent resource for the nitty gritty details of the biochemistry related to nutrition. Chris Masterjohn is a genius in relation to all questions of carb and lipid metabolism. He is another Paleo diet buff.
Robb Wolf's blog - http://robbwolf.com
Like Chris Kresser, Robb Wolf is another science geek who applies evolutionary biology to human health in order to figure out what life choices we should make to optimize health. I love listening to his lectures and podcasts - he's always one to throw mind-bending factoids at you with lightning speed.
SCD Lifestyle - http://scdlifestyle.com/
Jordan and Steve are two guys who have suffered from serious digestive diseases (Celiacs and Crohn's) and have successfully treated themselves (and many others through their website) with adherence to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. They also have a lot of great info and videos on supplementation for better digestion, how to exercise while sick, and a lot of other relevant topics. They're pretty funny and keep things lighthearted in the face of not-so-fun chronic diseases. Although they are focused on intestinal diseases such as Celiacs disease, Crohn's, IBS, and ulcerative colitis, most of their info and research is directly applicable to CF, since a lot of our symptoms are related to digestion.
Nom Nom Paleo - http://nomnompaleo.com
Michelle has put together a great food blog with lots of easy recipes that follow the Paleo template, and most are SCD-legal too. I visit sometimes just to drool. She also has a lot of pretty photos and how-to videos, plus links to other Paleo food blogs and websites. She has two really adorable kids, so she has a lot of kid-friendly recipes in there for you CF parents who need some meal ideas.
