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Ends Dec 8, 2018

Release date: Nov 16, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

In the fall of 2009, Howard Shifke was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. His mother had Parkinson's for twenty-four years before dying in 2007, just two years prior to Howard diagnosis of Parkinson's. Having watched her physically deteriorate from the disease and mentally deteriorate from the medications was difficult and frightening.

Howard did not want to end up the way his mother had ended up with the disease. Fortunately, in 1999, Howard had started studying alternative healing and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the ten years leading up to his diagnosis, he had learned the body has the ability to heal itself.

As a result, Howard decided he would endeavor to recover from Parkinson's, and he developed an alternative treatment methodology called his Parkinson's Recipe for Recovery®. Nine months later, he won the fight against Parkinson's with his full recovery.

In Howard's two neurologist visits subsequent to his full recovery, his neurologist put him through all of the tests used for the original diagnosis. Both times, his neurologist documented in Howard's medical records that there were no signs or symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.

Howard has been symptom free fully recovered from Parkinson's since June 12, 2010.

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Review:

Reviewed by Maria Fragapane

This memoir is the compelling account of Howard Shifke's drug-free healing journey from a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease to the reversal of his symptoms less than one year later. As a Kinesiologist who has been running fitness programs for those living with Parkinson's, this book caught my attention. For almost 20 years I have seen the devastating effects of the disease as well as the side effects that surface as a result of the medications taken. 

What was interesting about this book was that contrary to conventional thinking that you are a victim to Parkinson's, Howard took responsibility for his illness. He noted all the possible cumulative triggers and strategically developed a "recipe" to face them head on and heal his sick body, physically and emotionally. I was excited and inspired by both his journey and the destination. Using exercise (Qigong), healthy eating and stress release techniques, Howard watched as his body transitioned to what it was meant to be. He provides the reader with every detail of his recipe along with a link to his website that gives a more visual perspective of the very specific exercises. 

It is obvious that Howard simply wants to share his message and method. It saddened me, and yet did not shock me, that Howard experienced difficulty and was brushed aside when sharing his healing story and recipe with doctors, the Parkinson's agencies and organizations. There is such a powerful belief system around fighting diseases pharmacologically that what are seen as simple, basic strategies such as what we eat, how we move and how we think, go unnoticed or are simply seen as quackery. 

I cannot say for a certainty which part of the recipe was the magic bullet for Howard's reversal of Parkinson's. Perhaps it was one or two of the strategies, perhaps it was all of them. What I do know is that it doesn't really matter. It does teach the reader however that we all play a very big part in our health. If accepting that something we did made us unhealthy, then we are empowered to do something to gain our health back. I have already begun to share the information in this book with both colleagues and patients. People living with Parkinson's should read Howard's story.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.





Howard Shifke was born in Miami, Florida on March 23, 1961. In 1983, he graduated from college and in 1986, he graduated from law school. On October 16, 1988, he married Sally, and they have three wonderful children. In 2009, Howard got Parkinson's Disease, and he developed an alternative methodology for recovery. In June of 2010, he became fully recovered from Parkinson's. He coaches people around the world in his Parkinson's Recipe for Recovery. Howard was a native Floridian, and in 2016, he and Sally moved 3,000 miles away to Warren, Oregon. Besides coaching people with Parkinson's, Howard enjoys reading, gardening, and a nice glass of local Pinot Noir. 

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter

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I am always keenly interested in books that educate me on nutrition, health and wellness and the holistic lifestyle. The Plant Paradox caught my attention immediately just from the title. Healthy foods that cause disease? I eat organic produce and opt for a more plant-based diet so I was intrigued by these claims. I'm open-minded, however, and was eager to acquire new knowledge. It seems that there is always new information coming up because savvy scientists and doctors are exposing the mess that corrupt food industries have created with their genetically modified foods, antibiotic-enhanced feeds and sugar-laden processed junk foods that pass as healthy.

This book contains a wealth of information and is divided into three parts. The first part The Dietary Dilemma is where Dr. Gundry introduces the idea that lectins are bad for you. A popular lectin is gluten and we've heard all about why that is not good for us, primarily because as Dr. William Davis explained in Wheat Belly, it has been genetically modified and therefore no longer good for our bodies. Dr. Gundry then goes on to list all the foods that contain lectins that aren't good for us and, frankly, I was kind of taken aback. Legumes, beans, seeds, whole grains, and vegetable skins to name a few. This book is aptly titled because it does seem a paradox.

However, because I truly believe that God created us to eat a plant-based diet, I'm assuming the problem with all our dietary restrictions of whole foods is because mankind messed with the food's chemical properties, rendering what was once healthy into unhealthy. It doesn't make sense that we have to avoid eating most foods that God created for us and this book is a testament to how far gone our food source has become. Nevertheless, because of this, books like this one are good reminders that we need to exercise caution in what we eat. And being educated about our foods is always a good thing.

The second part of the book is Introducing the Plant Paradox Program and it goes into a 3-day cleanse and Dr. Gundry's program for returning to optimal health. It's doable but requires a lot of discipline and finding the right foods such as pasture chicken and beef, in other words, grass fed organic meat, which is not available at most grocery stores. However, if you suffer from an autoimmune or inflammatory illness, this diet is certainly worth considering. The last part is the Meal Plans and Recipes.

Overall, I learned a lot by reading this book. I am more determined than ever to find grass-fed meat, cook my legumes with a pressure cooker (it's the only way to reduce the lectins) and take the right supplements to enhance my wellbeing. It can be discouraging to see how bad our food supply has become. We cannot change it all, but making even a few better eating choices can make us feel better.

This book certainly offers food for thought (pun intended) and is good reading for any person who wants to learn more how to fight diseases with the right foods. This one's a keeper and a reference book that I will be using more and more as I continue my quest to satisfy my thirst for knowledge in using food to heal.

I love the holistic lifestyle and will read books that educate me on nutrition and wellness. When I came across this book, I wanted to read it. I was offered the audiobook and enjoyed listening to it. Marisa Vicario is a health and nutrition coach and listening to her tell about how she came to change her diet and lifestyle was like listening to a girlfriend over coffee.

Vicario covers the basic so if you've read up a lot on this topic you might already know most of the info, although I was still surprised by some things I didn't know, like how good coconut oil is for teeth and gum health. I appreciated the repetition of info I already knew, like to keep well hydrated by drinking more water. We all know that, right? But how many of us actually do it? Most times, we need to hear info a few times before we begin to accept and apply it. I'm now drinking more water thanks to the app Vicario suggests in her book!

I prefer owning reference books because I'm the type that likes to underline, highlight and make notes in the margin. I missed that with this book, although Vicario does include a companion 32-page PDF doc that she refers to in the audio. There are charts, illustrations, diagrams and a few recipes that are helpful. I suggest getting the book too, although listening to a non-fiction book really helps to cement some of the important info you want to retain.

The audio is narrated by Vicario herself, and she does a pretty good job. I enjoyed listening to her voice. There were a few times when she stumbled on words and I could hear the smacking of lips, something that you won't hear with professional narration, but after a while I was so engrossed in the book that I no longer noticed these small foibles.

Your Holistically Hot Transformation is the perfect book for the woman who wants to make better health choices but is struggling or finds it too overwhelming. I liked that Vicario simplifies it all. You can tell she's a coach. She is encouraging and her small steps toward change are very do-able and are like stepping stones to a better lifestyle. Her positive and caring attitude shines through in her new book. If you need a helping hand to get educated on nutrition, this book is for you. I am passing it on to my teen girl who seems to have forgotten all the nutritional stuff I taught her as a kid.

Scroll down to enter the giveaway for a chance to win your own audio copy of this book! But before that, we have an interview with Marissa.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this audiobook for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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Interview with Marissa Vicario

Q: What inspired you to write Your Holistically Hot Transformation? 

A: Health and wellness has become mainstream in recent years, so there's a lot of nutrition information available from a multitude of sources, most of it competing. Because I studied nutrition, I can sort through it all, but what about the woman who is just getting started on her nutrition journey? I noticed that when I started working with a client, she was almost always confused and misinformed about how to eat and the mindfulness and self-­care parts were most often completely missing. I wanted to simplify everything for the woman who is just starting out, confused to the point of paralysis or has tried everything to no avail and wants to start over with a more balanced approach. I remember being that woman at one time, so I wrote the book I would have wanted to read. Sometimes we need someone to reassure us it doesn't have to be so complicated and that everything is going to be OK. That's Your Holistically Hot Transformation.

Q: What does Holistically Hot mean? 

 A: It can mean anything to anyone. For the purposes of the book, "Hot" refers to being healthy, fit and balanced. To me, it means looking and feeling my best naturally without dieting, calorie counting, juice cleanses and other fads. It's things like green smoothies and dark chocolate, daily. Rocking sneakers and a yoga mat just as well as high heels and a manicure and fueling your body, not starving it. It's finding that authentic, healthiest version of you and feeling good about how you arrived there.

Q: Why did you choose to self-publish? 

A: I've had this book in me for many years and I knew that as a first-­‐ time author, traditional publishing would take some time, possible several years. I'm a "make things happen" kind of person and I didn't want to wait, because I know the world needs this book. I think what really solidified my decision was reading Wayne Dyer's book, I Can See Clearly Now. He talks about his own journey as a best-­selling author. His first book was self-­published and he worked tirelessly to make it a success. It really inspired me to action.

Q: How is Your Holistically Hot Transformation tied to your real life experiences? 

A: The entire book is based on my personal experience starting with how I hit rock bottom. All of my experiences up until that point were working in unison to lead me to where I am today. I use a lot of personal stories throughout the book to illustrate the concepts, like listening to your body or cooking at home for one. Everything in the book is something I've tested or rely on in my own life, that's how I know it works! 

Q: What other projects are in the works? 

A: I'm starting the process of writing my next book. As of right now, it will be more like a memoir. 

Q: What kind of training do you have? 

A: I received my Health Coach training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and I'm board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I've taken cooking classes at the Natural Gourmet Institute and I have a certificate in Nutrition for Disease Prevention from the University of California San Francisco. I started my career in corporate communications before making a change so my bachelors degree is in journalism from Northwestern University and my masters degree is in Marketing from New York University.

Q: What is your philosophy on nutrition and wellness? 

 A: Start where you are and do what you can. Eat real food and cook for yourself more often than you dine out. Health and wellness can be really simple if you let it. 

Q: What was the most challenging part about writing this book? 

A: I've always struggled with putting myself out there and telling my story. So, it was hard for me to be vulnerable in the book and tell some of those stories I've never shared anywhere before. Reliving those moments as I wrote the book wasn't always comfortable. Likewise, I know my nutrition philosophy isn't always widely popular so I worried how it would be received. Ultimately, I knew this book would be an expression of me and I can't please everyone. Even if this book helps just one person, it will have served its purpose, so that's what kept me moving forward.

About the Author:

Marissa Vicario, AADP, is an award-winning, board-certified Integrative Health and Nutrition Coach, blogger and Women’s Health & Lifestyle Expert. As the Founder of Marissa's Well-being and Health, she is passionate about teaching women to trust themselves to make nutritious, slimming and energizing choices without resorting to fad diets and all-juice cleanses. Her tips, recipes and expertise have been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, The New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Glamour and Next Generation TV among many other women's lifestyle publications.

After spending a decade and a half as a junk food vegetarian and raging sugar addict, Marissa Vicario discovered whole foods and the way they made her look and feel. Her desire to live a cleaner, healthier lifestyle was so strong, she broke out her hand-me-down pots and pans and dull cutting knives and taught herself to cook in the tiny kitchen of her Manhattan studio apartment. In the process, she learned that food changes everything and single-handedly transformed the trajectory of her life from the inside out. It wasn't long before she decided to study holistic nutrition and make it a career.

When she's not teaching workshops and cooking classes or coaching clients in her private or group programs, you can find her traveling with her husband, David, running with the New York Road Runners or experimenting with flavorful, healthy recipes.

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends June 9