If you are sick of hearing about, or experimenting with Keto and/or Paleo diets, how about the Essential Oils Diet by Eric and Sabrina Ann Zielinski?
Sounds different huh?
I will admit when I was offered the chance to review it, I thought this book was going to make my skin crawl. First off, I don't believe in diets, second, a bit of research led me to discover that the authors, a married couple, promote 'biblical health'. Typically any promotion of a lifestyle involving religion and quoting the bible makes me very uncomfortable.
One thing I will say though, is that there is evidence that if people believe aspects of their lifestyle should be synchronous with their values, they are more inclined to stick with them. So if you are a Christian looking for something to motivate you to live a healthier lifestyle, a program like this may actually be effective for you.
Despite the bible quotes, I will start by saying I was much more impressed with this book than I ever thought I would be. I assumed that diet + essential oils + bible would = the biggest load of crap ever. I was getting prepared to write a scathing, sarcastic review of what I thought would be some weird idea 'cooked' up in this couples' kitchen.
But you know what? There is actually a lot to like in The Essential Oils Diet.
First off, there is no woo woo stuff about the healing powers of essential oils. They do say some may help with weight loss, but I honestly think you can adapt their program without even using essential oils and still improve your health.
Now we always have some essential oils lying around. Oregano oil for colds, and lavender and citrus for body care products and baths. But I have never consumed them in food, so I am curious about what that's like and might just be tempted to try it.
But essential oils are really only a small part of this book/program. It is actually quite holistic in it addresses a number of facets of wellness, not just diet/nutrition.
The authors start by asking if you are living an abundant life, and explaining that they believe this is not just about spiritual practices, but also about health. For me, I would define it as a life that is satisfying thanks to not only physical/mental health but also healthy relationships and a sense of purpose/feelings of fulfillment through work and/or social roles.
They also ask the reader, "What is Your Why?" or reason for wanting to transform yourself. They claim that you are more likely to have success if you have deeper motives such as caring for your family or serving God. Indeed, research shows that things like wanting to look better is the motive least likely to get people to stick to long term behavioural changes. You really do need a more profound reason to achieve and maintain success here.
What I think most surprised/impressed me about the book is how well researched it is. It isn't just a dinner table brain storming session written down by an over zealous couple, its actually got extensive references to peer-reviewed research articles and other credible sources! That's a heck of a lot more than I can say for many diet books!
The book does have a whole section on buying and DIYing essential oils, and how to safely use them.
Some things are predictable in terms of what they want you to avoid: GMOs, unfermented soy, farmed fish, juice, conventional meat, artificial sweeteners, etc. I am personally not concerned about GMOs nor consuming organic soy milk or edamame on occasion, and since grass fed organic meat, organic dairy, and wild fish can be crazy expensive, you may want to go vegetarian/vegan for this program if you are on a tight budget.
The Zielinskys also want readers to avoid gluten, but not because of gluten in and of itself (as they point out, the bible talks about eating gluten containing grains all over the place), but they are concerned about glyphosate (Roundup), which wasn't in existence during biblical times.
So what is the diet anyways?
- Unprocessed, 'bioactive' foods
- Organic, locally grown produce
- Wild fish, nuts, legumes and vegetables for protein
- Very limited amount of free range, grass fed, yada yada yada meat
- Regular fasts (how biblical!)
Again, you will pay a premium for a lot of this food, but they do, at least, provide tips on how to keep costs down.
I don't know if the fasts are necessary unless you just want to keep a daily 12 hour window where you don't eat (i.e. finish eating by 7pm and don't eat again until at least 7am, or something like that).
They have a 30-Day Essential Fast Track to "Form New Habits and Kick Start Weight Loss". On the fast-track diet you are not allowed smoking, alcohol, fruit juice, dairy, conventional grains or bread, fried foods/junk foods, soda, coffee, meat or poultry.
Maybe for some people losing a bunch of weight quickly at the beginning, but for others, it will be too restrictive and simply cause frustration and feelings of futility.
They outline the 7-day meal plan and even though they do not include calorie counts, just looking at it makes me hungry. Now admittedly, being as physically active as I am and born with a super sized appetite, I probably do not represent the 'typical' person. But a smoothie for breakfast and bowl of soup for lunch? By 2pm I would be so hangry it would be scary!
I love that they include a lot of information on incorporating exercise. I do not like that they promote colon hydrotherapy, even after admitting the medical community considers them inadvisable.
The second phase of the program is the Essential Oils Diet, but really, a permanent lifestyle. At this point, raw dairy (huh?), specific brands of gluten-free breads, and organic gluten-free grains, occasional meat/poultry, and healthy sweets (made without processed sugars) are allowed.
Honestly, this plan is doable, but only for people who are willing to give up processed foods. But I can tell you right now, a lot of people just are not. Perhaps if people are really moved by the spiritual beliefs part of this it will give them to motivation to do so. In my years of doing weight-loss counselling though, I can tell you getting people to change is really, really hard!
Another thing that I really like is all the helpful tips and suggestions for saving time on meal-prep (this is another thing...most people not accustomed to preparing their own meals are often reluctant to start doing so!), and for how to stay on the plan when out for dinner, travelling, entertaining, celebrating holidays, etc.
One thing I do have a beef with (or a wild salmon if you wish), is they suggest doing a 2 week carb fast before the holidays, and to do another one after. I disagree as for most people this gets them into the all-or-nothing mindset which is not helpful and often derails people's efforts to make lasting behavioural changes (definitely not advisable if you have disordered eating tendencies).
Another thing I find iffy is their recommendation to toss your microwave because of the EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) which are also in all sorts of other household devices. They also recommend limiting cell phone use. I definitely agree with this but not so much due to EMFs as it is turning you into a zombie, destroying your relationships, compromising your sleep quality, and making you a dangerous, destracted driver (if you are addicted to your phone).
A whole chapter is devoted to this idea of having an abundant life. The Zielinskis claim abundance happens when your life is balanced and thriving in the emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, financial, occupational and social spheres, which are all interconnected. Yep, I jive with that.
There is a 12-step negative emotion detox they prescribe which includes a lot of wisdom (forgiveness, self-love, no regrets, ditch social media, etc.).
There is the recipe section which has some mains, breakfasts, salads, snacks and desserts, and finally, their recommended exercise program.
The exercise program is HIIT and they include all the exercises as well as detailed descriptions of how to do each exercise. Pictures or diagrams would be helpful for some people but there are none.
Overall, there is a lot of solid, useful information in The Essential Oils Diet, a lot having nothing to do with essential oils. But if you are curious about using essential oils either therapeutically or in your cooking, there is lots of good information about this as well.
Do I recommend this book? I think it will appeal to some people for sure. Anyone uncomfortable with the religious stuff should steer clear, but I have to admit they include it in a fairly unobtrusive way. I might not do the 30 day fast track if the idea of a restrictive diet makes you want to jump out the window. It is good for people who can eat mindfully as there is no calorie counting. They recommend eating to be satisfied but not too full. This is especially important because their recipes are not low-cal (lots of coconut oil and other calorie-dense ingredients).
Disclosure: I was sent this book to review by the publisher but all opinions on this blog are my own.
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