Stephanie Weaver

Initially, when I read the section how the book is organised, I wondered why it would take 3 weeks of preparation before the reader was asked to start eating the foods on the plan.

Then it hit me! How many times I have tried to 'diet' but still had easy access to all the things I should not eat? And what happens when the diet change is sudden and all-encompassing? Well, the simple answer is that I give up, and go back to the foods I know and enjoy. The answer, therefore, is to introduce changes slowly, and to remove temptation.

Whilst I do not suffer from migraines, there are other health issues that I need to consider when making family meals, and once I had thought about it, the first three weeks of The Plan provided sensible advice. Each week the reader is asked to clean out a food storage area, check its contents, and get rid of certain foods which might be a trigger for migraines. There is no rush to change your diet in these early weeks. It's more about learning what you should and should not have in your store cupboards.

I found Ms Weaver's personal experience interesting to read. She saw two doctors who gave conflicting advice, and two different diet sheets, because one of them was still using an outdated diet sheet. Only from her own investigations could she work out what she could and could not eat, and as such, her book serves as a useful guide. Although this book is written with migraine sufferers in mind, I think the advice offered could help anyone who needs to rethink their diet for whatever reason.

The recipe section contains lots of interesting meals, but perhaps not all would be something I would want to make for myself or my family. However, I found the food list summary much more useful, as armed with that, I can adjust my own recipes to make meals which are familiar to us as a family, but without the migraine-triggering ingredients.

The plan isn't all about diet. It also considers sleep and exercise as part of the regime to better manage migraines, and in Month 7 there is advice on how to go about testing yourself for foods which might be bring on a migraine.

Ms Weaver's advice is clear and easy to understand. Overall, I thought this book was well-researched and reasoned, and would be a useful tool for anyone trying to better manage their migraines.

My thanks to author Stephanie Weaver for a free copy of this book to review.… (mehr)

People who've never loved and lost a special furry (or other non-human) friend may not "get" how devastating the loss can be. Pets can be better friends, in many cases, than family, and it's painful when somebody says, "Hey, it's only a dog/cat [your critter here], or when the decision must be made to euthanize.

The author definitely "gets" it, and the stories and rituals she and her husband created around their Buddy are lovely. The gluten-free recipes for both humans and dogs are interesting, if not something I see myself diving into anytime soon.

It IS only 88 pages, however, including photos and recipes, which makes the current price level (9.99) seem high in comparison to other full-length novels and non-fiction e-books I've purchased.

… (mehr)