Resources

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Pollan cuts through decades of nutritional noise to make a simple, powerful argument: real food, the kind your great-grandmother would recognize, is the answer. One of the most accessible and foundational reads for anyone thinking about what we eat and why.

Written specifically for people going through cancer treatment and their families. Whole-foods recipes designed to address treatment side effects, support the immune system, and nourish bodies under stress. IACP Cookbook Award winner, now in its second edition. One of the most practical books in this space.

Written by a neuroscientist and clinical professor who was also a brain cancer patient, this international bestseller translates decades of research on nutrition, exercise, stress, and environmental factors into a practical framework for living alongside and beyond cancer. Translated into more than forty languages. One of the most widely read and rigorously sourced books on the relationship between lifestyle and cancer outcomes.

The most practical book on this list. Organized around the seven most common eating-related side effects of treatment (nausea, mouth sores, taste changes, swallowing difficulty, constipation, diarrhea, and unintentional weight loss), with color-coded recipes that address each one. Evidence-based, registered-dietitian authored, and recommended by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Written for the person standing in the kitchen wondering what to make tonight.

A physician and infectious disease researcher at University College London assembles the clinical evidence on what ultra-processed food does to the human body. Van Tulleken conducted a self-experiment eating 80% UPF for a month and tracked the measurable changes in his brain and body. Number one Sunday Times bestseller, Fortnum and Mason debut food book of the year. The most current and credible book on why the food families are eating matters at a molecular level.

Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University and one of the most cited nutrition researchers in the world. This James Beard Award-winning book documents how food industry funding shapes the research that becomes dietary advice, from Coca-Cola-backed exercise studies to supplement-sponsored health claims. If you have ever wondered why nutrition science feels contradictory, this is the book that explains why.

California's first Surgeon General and a pediatrician whose TED talk has been viewed more than ten million times. Burke Harris connects adverse childhood experiences to long-term health outcomes at the cellular level, then maps a path forward through six evidence-based pillars: sleep, exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, mental health, and healthy relationships. For any family navigating serious childhood illness, this book reframes what healing looks like and why it requires more than medicine alone.

A Harvard and MIT-trained conflict resolution facilitator argues that most gatherings fail because they lack a clear purpose. Parker offers a framework for creating spaces where genuine connection happens by design, not by accident. This is the book behind our third pillar. Emmy's Friends exists because community carries people through, and this book articulates why intentional gathering is one of the most powerful things a group of people can do for each other.

What if one simple change could save you from chronic disease? This landmark documentary follows researchers Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn as they examine what happens when people shift toward a whole-food, plant-based diet. A useful starting point for families exploring nutrition during or after treatment. Free to stream on their site.

A clear-eyed look at the modern food system and the true cost of prioritizing speed and price over nutrition and sustainability. Follows researchers, farmers, and policymakers working to change how food reaches families. A strong companion to Ultra-Processed People for anyone asking what's actually in the food we feed our children and what it would take to fix it.