Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken

Whether we like it or not the world of UPF or Ultra Processed Food is all around us. Irelands diet is made up of 46% UPF on average which really is rather a lot considering we produce a lot of food too.
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This is not the first book on UPF that I have read but thought this one would be interesting, and it does not disappoint. Chris urges us at the beginning to not stop eating UPF which was a surprise. Instead, he brings us on a journey of discovery of science, economics, history and production of ultra-processed food. The choice to eat healthily is more than just a personal decision and sterling will power. Our food environments are taken over with these UPF products and it makes it almost impossible to make healthy choices. This book will make you understand why. At the end of the day our health has suffered extensively because of these foodstuffs and for many the realization of their toxicity is a catalyst to change.  Needless to say, he does the self-experiment of eating just this way after a “clean” diet and he reports on his progress and health outcomes….

By the end of the book, you can make up your own mind on what to eat. The Ultra Processed Food industry is complex and self-perpetuating. To increase their share of the market means real food has to be removed.

Surrounding ourselves and protecting real food is part of the recovery process. We are working on it!

Anne Maher

Nourishment by Fred Provenza

What animals can teach us about rediscovering our nutritional wisdom.

Fred Provenza is someone I would love to meet. He has written this book in recent years, and it is possibly safe to say it will be a classic in time.

How do animals in the wild understand what food is good for them? How do they know which healing plants are edible when they are sick? The knowledge of orangutans on their use of medicinal plants for example gives us a glimpse into the profound depth of wisdom we can only dream of.

So, what can we learn from this? The nutrition field is an enormous one and all the education in the world from the renowned “experts” is no substitute for the innate wisdom that we apparently have, if we only tune into it. There is so much we already know without realising it. The term trusts our gut rings true here in more ways than one.

I thoroughly and deeply enjoyed this book but then I understand it ticks many boxes for me and draws together a lot of information of which I was familiar. This may not be to everyone’s taste.  However, the themes he covers affect us all and I urge everyone to dip their toe in the water of his knowledge. The work of Clara M Davis on children self-selecting their weaning diet is particularly fascinating to learn about in today’s era of picky eating for instance.

Audio books makes this gem very accessible too and as a taster why not listen to a podcast where he talks about the book himself. You won’t regret it. 

Anne Maher

This is the latest recommendation that I am currently attempting to give my attention to! It is no wonder it is a best seller because we can all relate to the subject matter. Why we are loosing our ability to pay attention! By the time you read this I may have finished the book and found some answers to how to improve our focus but for now I am certainly enjoying learning more about how our poor brains have been bombarded with encouraging us to “engage” more with meaningless content online. Extracting ourselves out of this intricate web in order to maintain some semblance of sanity and realism and improve our health is a key dilemma we no doubt all have.

For now both myself and daughter of 15 are reading it in the vain hope that she can understand something about the world she lives in and how to navigate it. Not sure if it will provide many answers but I do note she accepts the down time away from her phone more readily and she suggested a walk in the woods yesterday with me. Maybe there is hope! 

Anne Maher

Gut & Psychology Syndrome by Dr Natasha Campbell McBride
 
There are books and there are books that shape your life. This is one of those gems! Many of our customers will be very familiar with this book. Some will even understand the role this book has played in the development of The Urban Co-op. To be honest I am kind of surprised when someone says no, I have never heard of it. You are welcome!
 
How do you explain a book that takes a ton of complicated science and makes it readable for the majority? Plain English that is now translated into many languages making the message all the more accessible worldwide. When I read this book back in 2007 it was that lightbulb moment that helped me to see the power of real food, the importance of gut flora and let’s face it am still here talking about it! Gosh how trendy it all is now to hear about gut health. One chapter to mention covers the topic of fussy eating. She has helped so many parents overcome this torment.
 
Dr Natasha was a very brave lady to drive forward this message at the time and she did meet with challenges and resistance. She has inspired many people to write cookbooks and we bring in samples at times. You may notice there are food stuffs like the GAPS sausages for sale here inspired by this book. Wide ripples folks, very wide ripples….
 
Anne Maher

Nourishing Traditions Cookbook for Children. Suzanne Gross & Sally Fallon Morell

Over the years I have collected cookbooks like many folks that have grown up cooking. There are trends that ebb and flow as cookbooks accompanied the relevant TV programme chefs musings.
 
Darina and Nigella have taken up space in my life for quite a time it has to be said. The battle between the need to keep traditional techniques and values with the modern fandangled trends continues in this genre and this is where we sit with this month’s recommendation. Tradition and real food are the priority now.
 
Children’s cookbooks though are a pet peeve of mine.  Queue the rant!!
 
Teaching children to cook is a no brainer. It’s a necessary skill we can mostly agree on. But OMG the templates to support this venture are poisoned with sugar!! The very time our children are growing and developing we are drowning them in the toxicity of ultra-processed sweet “treats” and immersing them in a syrup of addiction that our society pays the eternal price for… diabetes, mental health problems etc etc.
 
It was such a welcome breadth of fresh air when I first came across the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook for Children. Visually pleasing and easy to understand with pictorial prompts in the ingredients there is a wealth of nourishing recipes that embrace the philosophy of Weston A Price. Foods such as kefir, raw milk, fermented foods, soaked grains make an appearance and introduce children to the world of nourishing foods. What a game changer! I have no doubt it will be a long while before we see a celebrity chef cooking along with this cookbook on TV, but this makes it all the more special. Perhaps we can start our own trend for parents and support them to educate children and normalise real food again. Any budding celebrity chefs out there willing to break ground on this new venture? Give us a call at The Urban Co-op. You never know where this could lead..!

Anne Maher 

THE POWER OF STRANGERS

​This book really caught my attention in the book shop recently and I have been enjoying it since.
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Themes of connection are strong in The Urban Co-op, and we acknowledge every day that it is a great place for people to connect while they shop for nourishing food. In a world that continues to teach us about all the hazards and fears we face; this book provides a level of refreshing reality that is timely and welcome. With lots of research, anthropology, and stories this book serves to reinforce the value of what we see every day here as people connect with each other and enhance the feeling of belonging. We recommend this New Years resolution!
 
Anne Maher

)Well, this book might be just the ticket for to cure you! I love getting a personal recommendation book and this one kept me fascinated to the end. The mindset of the Billionaire (particularly those who have made their riches via the tech industry.) A digital age has spawned so many start-ups that have exploded with success. Think the Collison Bros and the growth of STRIPE.
 
This book delves deep into the mindset of this sector of society and quite frankly it is far from a grounded wholesome kind. The author introduces us to a group of five gazillionaires looking for advice on how to escape this world from the anticipated apocalypse. The mindset of winning is hardly a bad thing, but it comes at a cost which seems to err into a territory that doesn’t end well. In effect the success means a distinct distancing from reality!
 
The earth is a resource to be plundered and dominated to achieve the anticipated growth of success. When it looks like the resources are running out it is time to escape…
 
Ok, I cannot relate to the craziness of it all, but I do like how Douglas brings it back to us mere mortals who operate in more circular economies of co-operatives and mutual aid. Closed loops that replenish the earth and resources. We can’t fix the world, it’s a process. He urges us to engage more fully with the present. It is what we have. Perhaps my eye is tuned into finding all these links with co-operatives because it is what we do but instinctively it does feel right. No money can buy that….
 
Anne Maher
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Not another cookbook I hear you say!  To be fair my choices of book review have not exactly been the cookbook type lately so is this a reversal of trend??
 
I must choose this one this month for a few reasons.  A copy of this book sits behind the till counter at The Urban Co-op lately and I have had cause to show to many customers who have told me about their diagnosis of diabetes.  When I show the cover of the book it is notable how surprised they are to learn that Diabetes can be reversed.   REVERSED you say!  NO!  My doctor told me….
 
Diabetes is so common now it is shockingly normal.  So normal I note the acceptance that the community settles with to be told that this is their lot.  Time to shake things up a bit. 
 
I don’t claim to understand the details of how this is possible, but I have for many years now followed with interest the enlightened few who have delved very deep into changing the status quo and one of these truly marvellous people is Dr David Unwin who features in the introduction in this book.  His ability to bring forward an understanding for his patients on how they can make decisions about their own health has been remarkably successful and is gaining ground.  His calm and measured approach supports his patients to reverse the diabetic trend he has seen in his clinic in the UK. 
 
(In essence and summary cut back the carbohydrates and up the fats..) Sound familiar?!!
 
This cookbook gives a great insight into how to take control of your health in a really positive manner and quite frankly I have great respect for the work Katie and Giancarlo have done to help bring this knowledge to us in an easy-to-understand manner. 
 
There are plenty of cookbooks out there on this theme but for sure this one is a terrific place to start on your journey of hope.
 
Anne Maher
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