cover image The Ultimate Age-Defying Plan

The Ultimate Age-Defying Plan

Mark Reinfeld and Ashley Boudet. Da Capo Lifelong, $22.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-7382-3473-1

Naturopathic doctor Boudet and vegan chef Reinfeld offer their plan for healthy aging with nutrient-dense, whole food recipes in this exhaustive book. With the belief that nutrition is critical to well-being and function, the authors focus on the body’s specific systems—cognitive, digestive, and cardiovascular—and guide readers through plant-based food choices that the authors say can help optimize health. The first part is an exhaustive overview of how diet affects wellness, from the ability to control common ailments such as arthritis and diabetes by avoiding processed food, to balancing hormones and regulating blood sugar levels with a diet of healthy fats. Whether explaining the specifics of certain vitamins and minerals, what to eat in order to reduce stress, or improving the skin’s pH balance, Boudet and Reinfeld are expansive and encouraging. The second part consists of 175 recipes, which include popular vegan ones, such as for avocado toast and barbecue jackfruit, as well as more innovative fare, such as shiitake hot pot noodle soup, daikon salad with avocado goddess dressing, and portobello “cheez” steak stuffed peppers. This cookbook is an uncomplicated resource that should be helpful for readers looking for a health-focused vegan diet plan. (Feb.)