This first book is one my kids love to hear over and over…
The Gulps – I love reading this book as much as my kids love to listen. It's neat how the pictures show such a huge difference in this family before and after they begin to take better care of themselves, and you'll laugh as you read. (We all see a little of ourselves in the Gulps.)
MY TOP BOOK SUGGESTIONS:
(Also, see the Top Ten Books My Readers Go Crazy Over and Why I Love Them, Too.)
- The Diet Cure —by Julia Ross
- Atkins Diabetes Revolution LP : The Groundbreaking Approach to Preventing and Controlling Type 2 Diabetes – If I had diabetes I would be following the advice in this book NOW, and even now I am following more and more of these principles.
- Real Food: What to Eat and Whyby Nina Planck – she is singing my song…or rather, I guess I'm singing hers, since she was here first!
- Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon —this cookbook is so much more than recipes! There are many very helpful recipes, especially if some of you grew up in homes where you weren't taught traditional methods of cooking. Mine looks well-worn after only a few years of owning it.
- Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price —it's a classic and a book that has changed many lives.
- by Natasha Campbell-McBride —the more I hear from this author and the more I read, I believe that within these pages lies the cure for most of the health problems we all hear about. A big statement, I know. Read it yourself and see.
- by Natasha Campbell-McBride—her newest book on the real cause and cure for heart disease. I can't wait to dig into this one next.
- The Schwarzbein Principle: The Truth About Losing Weight, Being Healthy, and Feeling Younger by Diana Schwarzbein–I've only read excerpts of this book, but wow, it makes so much sense! As soon as I get my reading pile down a bit, this one is next.
- Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats by Mary Enig & Sally Fallon —this book is a condensed version of some of the information on fats in the book above, very interesting about how saturated fats got such a bad rap. There is a lot of information in here about the benefits of coconut oil and recipes showing how to get more of it into your diet. It explains why eating the right fats, really does help you lose weight!
- The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin —this book tells how the author ate the right foods to cure himself of colon disease, then goes on to discuss many other health & dieting topics. Some recipes are included too.
- Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health (Vintage) by Gary Taubes—I can't wait to read this! It was recommended to me by Anna, and I trust her when she says I should read something. Read part of a review at Amazon: In the end, the most compelling case Taubes builds is one against stark dietary advice of any kind; nothing simple can capture the complex reasons for the epidemic rise in obesity. H.L. Mencken once said, “There is always an easy solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong.”
BOOKS UNRELATED TO NUTRITION:
- Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To: Divine Answers to Life's Most Difficult Problems
- Anything by Max Lucado – a great Christian author who has a writing style that is as easy and fun to read as good fiction. He's a great teacher on the basics of Christianity. (He also wrote one of my all-time favorite childrens books below.)
- “Surprised by Truth” book series by Patrick Madrid – great information to dispel common myths about what Catholics do and do not believe. Also helps you learn about how the sacraments draw us closer to Him. Surprised by Truth: 11 Converts Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic / Surprised By Truth 2: 15 Men and Women Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons For Becoming Catholic / Surprised by Truth 3: 10 More Converts Explain the Biblical and Historical Reason for Becoming Catholic
- Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers – just the title is motivating! This book has helped me a lot in the past. It teaches how to shut off the “chatterbox” in your brain that keeps you from doing what you should, something I think many people struggle with. The only problem with the book is that since it isn't Christian based, it stops short of the full Truth and doesn't explain how Jesus can give us the courage, strength & healing we need in our lives.
- Good News About Sex and Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions About Catholic Teaching by Christopher West —another book that explains very well what the Catholic Church really teaches on often misunderstood topics.
- Hidden Keys of a Loving, Lasting Marriage
by Gary Smalley – this book was a great help when Kent and I went through a tough time in our marriage years ago. (A very painful time and we surely would have divorced if not for Jesus showing us the way back – feel free to e-mail if you'd like to know more or if I can help you somehow.)
- Praying the Bible for Your Children
– This book has been part of my morning “quiet time” since 2003. It helped me get past the same prayers for my children that I always prayed(“Lord, please keep them safe, healthy & close to You”), and instead helped me pray more deeply for them using verses from the bible. There are 122 prayers in all, and each day I also note the date on the bottom of the page, so someday my children will see how often they were “lifted up” in prayer by their Mom! I use it not only to help me pray for our children, but also to pray for all the children in our lives. Whether it's relatives, our friend's kids, or other children who we know are hurting.
- Love Your Neighbor – This is the sweetest book. I told my kids after we read it tonight that I want them to be that friend to someone else who doesn't feel they have a friend in the world. It will help teach your kids to be a light in the world by loving others.
- This is one of my all-time favorite children's books, You Are Special
by Max Lucado (anything written by him is so good). This books gives all of us (adults too!) good lessons about not letting what others think matter so much to us.
by Gary Smalley – this book was a great help when Kent and I went through a tough time in our marriage years ago. (A very painful time and we surely would have divorced if not for Jesus showing us the way back – feel free to e-mail if you'd like to know more or if I can help you somehow.)
by Max Lucado (anything written by him is so good). This books gives all of us (adults too!) good lessons about not letting what others think matter so much to us.
- Helpful Marriage/Sex Books
– That link has a list of books by Michelle Weiner-Davis. I've only read her book, “Divorce Busting”, and while it isn't Christian-based, it still made great sense and helped me a lot when Kent & I were having marriage trouble. Also, scroll down at that link to see other books she's written called, “The Sex-Starved Marriage” and “The Sex-Starved Wife”, both books that I think will help commenters at my post about Passion in Marriage.
- I recently suggested these two books for a friend who found out her husband was having an affair: Love Must Be Tough: New Hope for Marriages in Crisis
and Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No to Take Control of Your Life.
- The best for last: the BIBLE – I wish everyone would read through the whole bible at least once – getting the “big picture” has helped me understand so much more. There are great sites to help you do this in one year, here is one. If you prefer to have it broken down for you right in your bible, you can get that here: The One Year Bible NLT, Catholic Edition
. (After that, find a good daily devotional book to help you digest more day-to-day.) If you don't think you would read the whole thing, at least try to read the book of John – you'll learn some basics: how much Jesus loves you and how to be more like Him. Or listen to the Bible in a Year podcast with Father Mike Schmitz!
– That link has a list of books by Michelle Weiner-Davis. I've only read her book, “Divorce Busting”, and while it isn't Christian-based, it still made great sense and helped me a lot when Kent & I were having marriage trouble. Also, scroll down at that link to see other books she's written called, “The Sex-Starved Marriage” and “The Sex-Starved Wife”, both books that I think will help commenters at my post about 
and 
. (After that, find a good daily devotional book to help you digest more day-to-day.) If you don't think you would read the whole thing, at least try to read the book of John – you'll learn some basics: how much Jesus loves you and how to be more like Him. Or listen to the Bible in a Year podcast with Father Mike Schmitz!FAVORITE FICTIONAL BOOKS:
- Vince Flynn's books – be sure you start with the first one: Term Limits,
and don't begin until you can plan on reading without stopping for a while, because you won't be able to. (The second in his series is my very favorite though: Transfer of Power
)
and don't begin until you can plan on reading without stopping for a while, because you won't be able to. (The second in his series is my very favorite though: 
)Note: I'll receive a small commission if you buy through one of these links. (And thank you!)
- Also read my book reviews
- Top 20 list of books my readers buy
- Read the book reviews by Jenn
- Where is the truth on health and nutrition?
- Eating healthy on a budget
- More about this site
Shalom says
Your resources page
https://kellythekitchenkop.com/resources
doesn’t work in firefox browser If you click on beverages, it jumps down to beverages, but nothing is listed under beverages. The next line is Bread & Crackers. All it has is the catagory titles.
KitchenKop says
Do you have an ad-blocker turned on? If so, that will make it not work. I have firefox and I can see 4 sponsor listings under beverages. (There are no sponsors under bread & crackers right now, so that’s blank.)
Kelly
Alex says
Hello Kelly!
I just bought a couple books through your site. I’m really hoping you get the money from those (it didn’t say one way or another?) Your blog is like my bible. I refer to you constantly “Well Kelly the Kitchn Kop said this…” Lol! So thank you sooo much for your hard work, it really has been an inspiration and has changed my (and my family’s) life!
KitchenKop says
Alex, thanks so much for that, I appreciate it! 🙂
Kelly
Roxy says
I have Real Food on it’s way, so glad to hear such rave reviews about it. Also the chiropractors that I work for have 2 of the Nourishing Tradition books in their leading library. Very good book and I’m debating on buying one even though I can borrow one of theirs any time I want, I would just like to own it for myself.
I just found your site and am lovin’ it! Thank you for spreading the truth.
Melody Joy says
“You Are Special” is a great book. I would highly recommend Lucado’s collection “Tell Me the Story,” too. My mom read to us from “Tell Me the Story,” well into our “too old for this” years….even though as we grew, she selected other “older” books, we never outgrew those stories. We did, of course, read on our own as we grew, too….but when my Dad (who was in the Navy) was out to see, we’d puppy-pile on my mom’s bed at night for story time…reading from a good number of books I still love.
Kelly says
Jennifer, I’m so glad you’re here, too. You are one of my VERY favorite bloggers, you always write something that hits home with me right then.
You mentioned Nina Planck’s book, but you may want to wait and get her new book that comes out in April – she sent me an advanced copy and it is AWESOME, and since you’re pregnant, you’d really love it: Real Food for Mother & Baby. 🙂
Jennifer (Conversion Diary) says
It’s been on my to-do list for a long time to spend some time really looking through your site, and I’m so glad to finally have a chance to do it! I’m really excited by all this great info — going to add a bunch of these to my Wish List now. (The next book I’m going to order is the Nina Planck one. I’m so excited!)
Kelly says
Thanks, Kimberly, I’ll have to add that to my list. 🙂
Kimberly says
Hi Kelly,
I’m a new follower of the NT and WAPF principles and just subcribed to your blog … loving it so far. I just wanted to add that Gary Smalley co-authored a book back in 1995 titled Leaving the Light On. It is the best parenting book I’ve ever read. My kids are grown now, but I still refer to it at times. I hope anyone with children will take a look at it.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
LOVE the title!
Anonymous says
Nancy Deville has written another must read, Death by Supermarket: The Fattening, Dumbing Down, and Poisoning of America. She nails the reasons that the simplistic prescription of “eat real food” seems to be falling on deaf ears.
Anna says
Oops, forgot, I also really, really like the first three books you recommended, Kelly!
Real Food, in particular, I think is a good “easy beginning” for people. I’ve given away lots of copies as gifts. If you email Nina, she will sign and mail a bookplate to you.
I think Nina Planck really makes a good case for transitioning back to real food, without scare tactics, without “wacko” sounding reasoning that might put people off, and with lots of credible research to back her up. Not everyone is ready for the NT way right away. Real Food is more “gentle”, perhaps, and maybe easier for people to assimilate at first.
Anna says
I second Liz’s book suggestion: The Schwarzbein Principle.
Kelly says
Hi Liz,
Thanks for the info on what does sound like a great book. More and more these days people seem to be finding out that traditional diets are where it’s at for good health – especially traditional fats.
I’m not surprised to hear more about sweets being bad, that’s the sad and undisputed truth, but I’m getting a little better!
If I could ever chip away at the reading pile I’ve got right now, I’d love to borrow the book, I’ll let you know!
Thanks,
Kelly
Liz says
Hi Kelly… I just finished reading a book that I think you might enjoy. It’s called The Schwarzbein Principle by Diana Schwarzbein, MD and Nancy Deville. According to Schwarzbein, the high-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein diet that most dieticians and disease-prevention organizations recommend is the culprit that turns people into diabetics, makes them age faster and get degenerative diseases, and keeps them fat and unhealthy. She supports her theory with case studies of people who were sick and miserable on high-carbo, low-fat diets and who sprang to life when they “balanced” their diets with more fat and protein. Schwarzbein recommends avoiding “man-made carbohydrates”–processed carbs–in favor of those you could “pick, gather or milk.” She instructs patients to eat “as much good fat as their body needs”: eggs, avocados, flaxseed oil, butter, mayonnaise, and olive oil. Sorry, but fried foods and hydrogenated fats are “bad fats,” or “damaged fats,” as Schwarzbein calls them. You can eat as many eggs a day as you want on this plan, plus meat (even sausage–as long as it’s nitrate-free–and p