Sun & Ssukgat - by Michelle Jungmin Bang (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A charming, life-changing guide to living a longer, happier, healthier life, rooted in Korean self-care. From the country scientists predict will top longevity charts in 2030.

Ssukgat, or Chrysanthemum greens, are treasured in Korean culture for their healing abilities. You can coax its withered stalks to bloom again, with sun, water, soil, and care. It's a fitting metaphor for eco-entrepreneur and CEO Michelle Jungmin Bang, who found herself in excruciating pain due to the constant sacrificing of her health and wellness for work--a trade many of us make daily.

Thus started her fascinating journey to overhaul her health and reconnect with her heritage in South Korea. She found answers in the mountains with Buddhist nuns and the keys to microbiome health, a seaside village with haenyeo (female free divers who forage for seafood) and their practice of healing with breath, centenarians with easily adoptable daily habits, and Korean bathhouse culture and its "wellness for everyone" approach to youthful skin. Natural, effective, and environmentally conscious, these traditions have been passed down for centuries in Asia, like gifted heirlooms, and they quietly and radically shift our philosophies on well-being towards preventative care.

Informed by her travels, research, and East-West nutrition training, Michelle reflects on how we can eat for healing, live sustainably, reconnect with nature, form deeper relationships with the Korean concept of Jeong (the warm, invisible connection between loved ones and places), and more. Also included are simple and delicious healing recipes that can be used for recovery, like a mushroom broth the Buddhist nuns turn to for colds; her grandmother's secret Myeolchi (anchovy) broth; Samgyetang (chicken and ginseng soup) for combatting fatigue; as well as Hoedeopbap (raw fish bibimbap), her most-requested dish that requires no cooking.

Stunningly written and accompanied by Michelle's gorgeously hand-drawn illustrations and infographics, Sun & Ssukgat is on a mission to empower anyone stuck in the unhealthy whirlwind of modern life to transform our well-being in the little things we do every single day.

This beautifully designed book is perfect for:

Fans of Korean and Asian food and cultureGifting to friends and familyFood-as-medicine enthusiasts seeking natural ways to improve their healthTravel aficionados and environmentally-conscious readersProfessionals and students looking to boost performance and wellness

Review Quotes

"Captivating and amazing . . . this book is a work of art, a beautiful love letter to Korean culture, sustainability, and the old (and critically important) ways of living. Sun & Ssukgat is ancient wisdom and advice for modern times. A healing balm that will reset your health, your spirit, and your relationship with the natural world inside you. If you want to rewild yourself and heal your gut, read Michelle Bang's wise and beautiful book."

-- Robynne Chutkan, MD, FASGE, gastroenterologist, author of The Microbiome Solution and host of the podcast Gutbliss

"A meaningful, poetic metaphor connecting how both humans and plants can thrive and rekindle when we nourish our soil and our terrain with healing foods and preventative care. I love this book." -- Terry Wahls, MD, autoimmune expert, author of The Wahls Protocol and The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life

"I have always been a fan of multicultural and intergenerational holistic approaches to our well-being. Michelle's book promises to be an insightful guide to unlocking the simple secrets we can all use to live healthier and more sustainably through Korean self-care wisdom and I can't wait to put my hands on it!" -- Livia Giuggioli, co-founder of Quintosapore

"Michelle Bang offers us a very pleasant journey through soil, sun, water, and self-care for a more healthy and conscious life."
-- Francesc Miralles, co-author of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

"A literal gut check and an important reminder to take stock of priorities and health. Sun & Ssukgat serves as a wholesome and engaging introduction to time-old Korean health practices involving food diversity and effective lifestyle approaches. Use it as a guide to make small, mindful changes in everyday life." -- Frances Cha, author of If I Had Your Face

This informative debut from Bang...details the wisdom she learned while traveling throughout South Korea in search of traditional wellness practices to restore her health after the stresses of her punishing work schedule landed her in the hospital...[distills] what she learned from her travels into her own "holistic approach to healing,"...A smart mix of travel writing and health advice, this hits the spot. -- Publishers Weekly