Writing as a clinical nutritionist is a challenge because nutrition is a complex field, and it involves so many aspects of someone’s life. Think about the cost, the preferences, the ethnic background, and the geographic region where someone is. All these factors play into the choices someone makes regarding the food they will consume. Then there are the biochemical pathways involved in how what people eat gets to be absorbed, the research in nutrition and the fad diets.

I quickly understood in school that it is a science and an art. It’s a broad subject and, like a diamond, has so many facets. Pizzorno writes beautifully about nutrition and medicine. He is the type of writer that is passionate (a great advocate) yet shows his readers the facts. A pioneer in promoting the health concept rather than the disease model, he has authored several works that stood the test of time.

Through one of his books, I started paying attention to the ingredients I was using while cooking. I bought the Healing Foods book to help my father, who suffered from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, in the hopes of helping him heal and at least mitigate his symptoms.

I find that learning about certain foods was crucial on my journey to change my eating habits over time. Sounds simple enough. But just knowing something is healthier does not mean that you will necessarily consume it. Before Pizzorno, oats were not something that I could tolerate, let alone cook.

Learning about the benefits of groats made me change my mind and start trying different cooking methods for oats. Oats contain significant minerals necessary for good health. According to The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, oats are an excellent source of manganese, selenium, and phosphorous. Additionally, they contain also manganese and iron. Fiber and vitamin B1 are also some of the nutritional highlights of oats.