Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook for Beginners 2022

 Anti-Inflammatory Diet Cookbook for Beginners 2022, Lora M Stoops, Independently Published, 2022

Inflammation is your body reacting to a physical irritant. The culprit could just be summer allergies, or it could be something much more serious. Symptoms of inflammation include muscle and joint stiffness, skin disorders, fatigue, anemia, inflamed gums and low fever. Occasional inflammation is OK; it shows that your body is working properly. Chronic inflammation is not OK. It can lead to all kinds of major health problems. That is what this cookbook is all about.

This book provides many recipes made with fresh fruits and vegetables. Healthier food may just reduce the severity of the inflammation, or totally cure it. The recipes include banana pancakes with apricots, Greek salad, millet with tuna and broccoli, nugget of zucchini, soup of oysters and mushrooms, watermelon and lemongrass smoothie and beet brownies. 

For each recipe, there is a picture of the item, along with the full recipe and directions. There is also nutritional information, plus the prep and cook times. This book is recommended for anyone who simply wants to eat healthier. It is especially recommended for anyone who thinks that the symptoms of inflammation will never go away. Try this book first.

Sunflower

 Sunflower, Aleksandr Jarid, The Blue Print Works Ltd., 2022

This novel is all about freelance journalist Hugo Jensen. He is not just on the slippery slope toward hitting rock bottom, personally and professionally, Hugo is already there. He is broke, his colleagues have turned their backs on him, and his girlfriend has left him.

When all hope seems lost, a stranger befriends him and takes him on a quest of personal redemption. It involves "Sunflowers," the famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh. Does Hugo quiet the many monsters inside him, while on this quest, or does he create more emotional monsters?

This is a strong and very well-done story. The chapters switch from the past to the present, which can be confusing for the reader, or is a very good idea (it's a very good idea). It has lots of good writing, and will certainly keep the reader interested.

The Secrecy

 The Secrecy, James Butler, Independently Published, 2020

First of a series, this book is about Emma and Adam, two British teenagers who are kidnapped by a super-secret agency called The Secrecy. The pair are the agency's newest recruits. For Emma and Adam, the choice is simple: Join or Die. Their families are told that they are dead. They watch their own funerals through CCTV cameras.

Their first assignment involves a trip to northern Mexico. Kidnapping of average citizens has gotten out of hand: up to 65 people are being snatched per day. Emma and Adam's job is to put a stop to it. Even though they don't really know what they are doing, by following a clue here and a clue there, they find one of the "campsites." A couple of hundred people are locked in trucks, and they are about to be sold. All of the prisoners are untied, then there is a mass attack against the guards. Many prisoners die, but so do all of the guards. The rest of the prisoners are freed.

Emma and Adam are sent to another "campsite," where a couple of hundred more prisoners are held. This one has actual buildings, and not just several large trucks parked in the jungle. Does their luck hold out? Can they do it again?

This story is really good. It is all about "basic" spy work (for lack of a better term). It means being observant and using your brain, without the use of all sorts of high tech gadgets. I look forward to future books in this series.   

Anxiety Relief Coloring Book for Adults

 Anxiety Relief Coloring Book for Adults, Maky Publishing, 2022, ISBN 9798838010476

Has anyone considered adult coloring books as an antidote to today's 24/7, social media, world?

This book has many full-page drawings of animals to color (animals always help with relaxation). A person can let their creativity run wild, with many small areas to color on each page. There is also a black page on the back of each design to keep the colors from bleeding through the page.

This book may just start a life-long interest in art. It's recommended for those with anxiety or attention-deficit problems. It also beats beer and TV as a way to relax at the end of the day. It is very much worth considering.

Coloring Book for Adults Relaxation

 Coloring Book for Adults Relaxation, Maky Publishing, 2022, ISBN 979-8-8389-97708

In this fast-paced, 24/7 world, adults are always looking for a way to relax at the end of the day. Consider adult coloring books (it's not as silly as it sounds).

This book has all sorts of full-page designs to color. There are many small areas to color, allowing a person to let out their creativity. There are no large areas to color, like in a child's coloring book. There is a black page on the back of each page, in case the colors bleed through the page.

This book is recommended for anyone with any sort of anxiety problem. It is also a potentially better way to relax at the end of the day than with beer or TV. This book may just spark a life-long interest in art. Yes, it is worth the money.

Outdoor Gas Grill Cookbook

 Outdoor Gas Grill Cookbook, Phil Morris, Independently Published, 2022

Cooking with an outdoor gas grill has become increasingly popular in recent times. It doesn't matter if one is on a camping trip, or in their backyard with an industrial-strength smoker. 

There are many tips to follow, and a list of needed implements, before the grill is turned on. The book has one recipe per page, accompanied by a large color picture of the item. There is plenty of room on each page for the ingredients, directions and nutritional information. The print is also clear and easy to read. Among the recipes are Easy Cheese Toast, Cheesy Omelet, Easy Cooked Fried Rice, Tasty Hot Lime Chicken, Spicy Dijon Pork Tenderloin and Veggie Japanese Beef.

Do you know someone who has no problem in firing up their grill during a major rain storm, or when there is a foot of snow on the ground? Are you that person? This book is for you, whether you are a novice or veteran. It is very much worth the money. 

It's Cool to Be Kosher

 It's Cool To Be Kosher: A Kosher Foods Word Search Book for Kids and Adults, Byron L. Reeder, BR Write Publishing House LLC, 2022

Word search books are a good way for children to learn their vocabulary words, and for adults to keep their brain cells active. This book is different.

Instead of the usual vocabulary words, this books looks at various fish and animals that are clean (or unclean) under Jewish law. The reader needs to find, for example, Giant California Sea Bass, Humpback Salmon, Mutton Snapper, Pacific Ocean Perch, Sacramento Splittail, Spring Salmon and Yellowfin Croaker. The reader will also have to search for Sunflower Seeds, Sweet Potatoes, Honeydew Melons, Lemongrass, Mustard Powder, Peppercorns and Common Pigeons. 

Under the category of unclean, or non-kosher, animals, the reader will need to search for Swordfish, Calamari, Kangaroos, Earthworms, Alligators, Sea Amphibians and Ostriches. There are even answers in the back of the book, for those who are impatient, or who honestly can't find a specific name.

Here is an easy (and fun) way to use one's brain. It is recommended for young people and adults, and is worth the money.

The Aging Games

 The Aging Games: How to Come Out a Winner, Lynn Hardy, 2020, Independently Published

Everyone wants to slow down the aging process as much as possible. This book gives some easy-to-follow tips to do that.

Consider getting rid of your chemical-filled cleaning products and switch to non-toxic brands. Get a good night's sleep every night. If that is not happening, you may need to sleep in a different position or raise the head of your bed by several inches. 

Believe it or not, cholesterol is your friend. Eat more fat and protein, and eat less carbohydrates. Totally get rid of sugar and artificial sweeteners. Consider intermittent fasting. Choose healthy cooking oils, and consume bone broth.

Getting vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables (and sunlight) is preferred, but supplements are very acceptable. If you are so inclined, CBD oil is good to try. It doesn't contain any THC (the part that causes the "high"). Look into castor oil packs and liver flushes.

The author also explores cold therapy, epsom salt baths, getting a dog, stopping smoking, meditating, correcting your posture and ditching the sunglasses.

No one is expected to do all of these tips at once. Pick a few that you can make part of your daily routine, then pick a few more. For most people, this book is common knowledge. There will always be those for whom this book is a revelation. Yes, it is very much worth reading. 

The Traeger Grill Bible

 The Traeger Grill Bible, Steven Smoke, Independently Published, 2022

This cookbook is intended to be used with a specific brand of grill.

There is only one recipe per page, which helps greatly. This is in great contrast to other cookbooks which try to cram as many recipes on a page as possible. Each recipe includes a large color picture of the item. The picture in the book always looks better than what comes out of your grill. The recipes include: smoked brisket, smoked catfish, grilled corn with honey and butter, ground lamb kebabs and brown sugared bacon cinnamon rolls.

Trying any of these recipes is not possible, because I do not own a Traeger grill. For those who do own one, this is a good first cookbook to get familiar with its capabilities. The writer of this book has made it very easy. Yes, this is very much worth considering.

The Creator's Handbook

 The Creator's Handbook: The Art and Science of Creating Social Change, Shingai Samudzi, Nobody Times Press, 2022

This book is all about setting goals, and then making them happen. These are not personal goals, like "Get a promotion at work" or "Lose at least 10 pounds before beach season." These are bigger, social change goals, like "Increase the number of female engineers in Silicon Valley by at least 10 percent in the next 5 years."

Set up these goals the same way as with personal goals. They still have to be specific, measurable, action-oriented, reasonable and have a time limit. Next comes some visualization. Don't spend 5 minutes daydreaming that it would be great if. . . Take some time, and in your mind, go over the steps needed to get from Here to There. Figuratively speaking, you need to burn this goal, and the steps to get there, into your brain. 

How do you get other people to change their goals and their worldview, so that it aligns with yours? A possible obstacle involves having to deal with other people's emotional biases (everyone has them). They may get in the way of having people join you on the way to your goal.

When it comes to getting society to accept your goal, it's all about networks (six degrees of separation). They come in different shapes and sizes; some are very loose, while others are so tight, they are almost rock-solid. Some people are direct, or first-degree, connections (you know Person X directly). Other people are much looser connections (you know someone who knows someone who knows Person X). How do you get them to join you to work toward your goal?

This is a very thought-provoking book. It's very well done, and is not very technical. It's recommended for everyone, especially the average young person who has decided that today is the day that they start to change the world.

The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook for Beginners

 The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook for Beginners, Sarah J Candle, Independently Published, 2022

Do you suffer from chronic inflammation? Is your skin usually red and painful? Is there any way to reduce, or eliminate, the pain? This book may be able to help.

Inflammation happens when the immune system reacts to something that it really doesn't like. It could be an allergen, poison ivy, or something you ate that really does not agree with you. Occasional inflammation is acceptable; it shows that your immune system is working properly. It becomes a problem when the inflammation is chronic. That can lead to much bigger problems, like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. 

What can be done about it? A good general rule is to greatly increase your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. At the same time, you need to greatly reduce, or eliminate, your consumption of processed food, soda and fast food (the typical American diet). 

This book provides recipes for all meals in the day. Each recipe includes a color picture of the item, and the recipes are spread out, with only two recipes per page. This is in great contrast to other cookbooks that try to cram several recipes per page. Whatever your food preference, whether it is poultry, snacks or breakfast smoothies, there are recipes for it here.

This is a very good introduction to healthier eating. Even if you can improve your diet by only a couple of percent, it will help a lot. This book is very much worth reading.

Pod and Her 4 Little Texas Sisters

 Pod and Her 4 Little Texas Sisters, B.W. Evans, Independently Published, 2022

This book is about Pauline (Pod) Bruce, and Imagean (Gean), her next oldest sister. They were part of a family of five girls, living as sharecroppers in Depression-era Texas. Mom made sure that there was a lot of love in that house, which was actually a two-room shack. 

Unintentionally, Pod gave the family a way to get out of their extreme poverty; she nearly got her foot bitten off by an alligator. Dad printed lots of pictures of Pod and her foot; they sold like the opening day of a new Iphone. That gave Dad the money to open a washateria, then another and another. They were an instant sensation (the precursor to today's laundromat). They moved out of their shack into a real house.

Pod grew up with a huge love of horses. The family acquired a fast quarter horse, which she used to win a pair of big horse races, disguised as a boy. At that time, about the only legal right women had was the right to vote. When her deception was revealed, righteous indignation exploded. 

The Governor of Texas hoped to use Pod to reach women voters. She embarked on a speaking tour all over Texas, talking about women's rights and equal pay. The Governor was totally behind her, but told her to leave birth control out of her speeches. It was very illegal to give women any information about birth control at that time.

Meantime, Gean won a state-wide beauty contest and headed to Hollywood to become an actress. Her career abruptly ended, before it got started, in a really awful way.

This is an excellent biography. It is very easy to read, and is very inspirational for anyone with big dreams, but who comes from unfortunate circumstances.