Some of My Favorite Books
Yesterday, April 23rd, was World Book and Copyright Day, an annual celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading. I thought I’d take this opportunity to share with you a few of my favorite books on the topic of health and wellness, which have both inspired me and informed my approach to health coaching. The three books I’m going to cover in this post exposed me to new concepts that I now think of as cornerstones in life and health. These tenets include:
Your lifestyle - including stress, sleep, and exposure to environmental toxins - is as important as exercise and diet to your overall health and wellbeing. This is an overarching theme that runs through each of these three books. Keep an eye out for it in the summaries below.
We all need to be our own advocates for our health and wellness. The pharmaceutical, food, and medical industries are not designed to be “on our side.”
Food is information for your body. It can either be good or bad information, depending on the type and quality of food.
Processed food is “bad” information, setting off a cascade of metabolic stresses in the body.
Sleep is the most underrated factor in the pursuit of wellness. Improve your sleep, improve your health.
Your liver and your gut are two of your body’s most valuable assets. Always strive to “protect the liver, feed the gut.”
The body is not a collection of separate organs. It is an interconnected mesh of functional systems that rely on each other.
Muscle is your organ of longevity. Prioritize maintaining and building muscle, especially as you get older.
Eat protein! It feeds your muscle (see above).
So, let’s dive in! Following is a summary of each of these books. Although they are respectively focused on different topics, you’re going to find our theme running through all three.
Metabolical: The Lure and Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL
This book was an eye-opener for me. It allowed me to first start connecting the dots about how important lifestyle and nutrition are to our wellbeing. It also gave me a (somewhat startling) view into the history of modern medicine in the U.S. as well as the roles that “Big Pharma” and “Big Food” play in making us sicker as a society.
Dr. Lustig explains the complex interplay between metabolic health and modern lifestyle factors, such as diet, stress, and environmental toxins (here’s our overarching theme). He highlights the detrimental effects of processed foods, particularly those high in added sugars and refined carbohydrates, on our metabolic health. These foods disrupt hormonal signaling, leading to insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome, linking them to a range of chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. He also explores the role environmental factors, such as stress and exposure to toxins, play in exacerbating metabolic dysfunction. He underscores the importance of stress management techniques, adequate sleep, and minimizing exposure to environmental toxins in maintaining metabolic health (our theme again). Further, he underscores the need for a holistic approach to health that prioritizes whole, nutrient-dense foods and physical activity.
Lustig's mantra "protect the liver, feed the gut" encapsulates a fundamental principle of metabolic health outlined in Metabolical. The liver and gut play pivotal roles in regulating metabolism and maintaining overall well-being, and prioritizing their health is essential for optimal metabolic function.
Protecting the liver involves minimizing exposure to dietary and environmental toxins that can impair liver function. The liver is responsible for metabolizing nutrients, detoxifying harmful substances, and regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. By reducing consumption of processed foods, alcohol, and other liver-stressing agents, individuals can support liver health and prevent metabolic dysfunction.
Feeding the gut refers to nourishing the complex ecosystem of microorganisms that reside in the gastrointestinal tract. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and metabolic regulation. Consuming a diverse array of fiber-rich foods, prebiotics, and fermented foods can promote a healthy gut microbiome and support metabolic health.
Metabolical also delves into the broader context of medical education and its historical implications for our understanding of health and disease. Lustig scrutinizes the evolution of medical teaching in the United States, highlighting how the focus shifted over time from a holistic understanding of health to a reductionist approach that emphasizes pharmacological interventions over lifestyle modifications. Medical education has predominantly centered on the treatment of acute illnesses and infectious diseases, with less emphasis on preventative medicine and chronic disease management. Lustig critiques this approach, arguing that it has contributed to the rise of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders, which are largely preventable through lifestyle interventions.
The book highlights how medical students are often taught to view the human body as a collection of separate systems rather than an interconnected whole, leading to a fragmented understanding of health and disease. Lustig challenges this model, advocating for a more integrative approach that considers the complex interactions between genetics, environment, lifestyle factors, and metabolic health.
Ultimately, I believe Metabolical pushes us to re-examine our approach to health and disease, and underscores the importance of addressing the root causes of metabolic dysfunction through comprehensive lifestyle interventions. By embracing a more holistic understanding of health, practitioners and patients can work together to cultivate lasting improvements in metabolic health and overall wellbeing.
The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Programme to Prevent and Reverse the Cognitive Decline of Dementia by Dr. Dale Bredesen
Another groundbreaker for me. In The End of Alzheimer's, Dr. Bredesen details a paradigm-shifting approach to understanding and addressing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Bredesen challenges the conventional view of AD as an irreversible neurodegenerative condition and presents compelling evidence that the disease is multifactorial and can be prevented or even reversed through targeted lifestyle interventions.
Central to Bredesen's approach is the recognition that Alzheimer's is not a single disease with a single cause, but rather a complex syndrome with multiple contributing factors. He identifies 36 metabolic factors that can influence the development and progression of AD, encompassing aspects such as insulin resistance, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and toxic exposures.
Bredesen emphasizes the critical role of lifestyle factors in modulating these metabolic factors and reducing the risk of AD. He outlines a comprehensive protocol, known as ReCODE (Reversal of Cognitive Decline), which addresses each of the 36 metabolic factors through personalized interventions tailored to individual needs.
Key concepts highlighted in the book include the importance of optimizing diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and cognitive stimulation to support brain health and reduce the risk of AD (here’s our theme, first noted above in my notes on Metabolical). Bredesen advocates for a whole-person approach that considers the interconnectedness of various physiological systems and addresses underlying imbalances to promote optimal metabolic function.
I found this book fascinating and surprisingly easy to read, given the density of its content. The End of Alzheimer's serves as a rallying cry for a new era of personalized, integrative medicine that recognizes the interconnectedness of mind and body and empowers individuals to take control of their health destiny. Bredesen underscores the heterogeneous nature of Alzheimer's disease and highlights the importance of personalized approaches to treatment and prevention.
Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Such an informative and inspiring book that has made a big impact on the way I approach my nutrition and exercise. In Forever Strong, Dr. Lyon emphasizes the crucial role of muscle in our overall health and longevity. Her key message revolves around the idea that muscle is not just a component of our body but rather an organ with profound implications for our wellbeing.
One of the central concepts highlighted by Lyon is that muscle serves as our "organ of longevity." Unlike other organs that deteriorate with age, muscle has the remarkable ability to regenerate and adapt, playing a vital role in maintaining metabolic health, resilience, and independence as we age. Strong muscles are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, improved metabolic function, enhanced mobility, and better quality of life.
Lyon emphasizes the importance of prioritizing muscle health through proper nutrition, resistance training, and lifestyle practices. She advocates for a nutrient-dense diet rich in high-quality protein, essential amino acids, and micronutrients to support muscle growth, repair, and maintenance. Additionally, resistance training, including both strength training and resistance exercise, is essential for stimulating muscle growth, improving strength, and preserving muscle mass over time.
Further, Lyon emphasizes the significance of optimizing hormone levels, particularly testosterone, in promoting muscle health and vitality, especially for aging individuals. Adequate sleep, stress management, and regular physical activity also play key roles in supporting muscle function and overall health (here’s our theme again!).
For individuals looking to maintain and continue building muscle as they age, Lyon recommends incorporating a comprehensive approach that includes:
Resistance training: Engage in regular strength training exercises using weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises to stimulate muscle growth and strength.
Nutrient-rich diet: Prioritize protein-rich foods, such as lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and plant-based sources, to support muscle repair and growth.
Adequate recovery: Ensure adequate rest and recovery between workouts to allow muscles to repair and grow stronger.
Hormone optimization: Work with a healthcare provider to optimize hormone levels, particularly testosterone, to support muscle health and vitality.
Lifestyle factors: Prioritize healthy lifestyle habits, including quality sleep, stress management, and regular physical activity, to support overall health and wellbeing.
Dr. Lyon suggests that by prioritizing muscle health and adopting a comprehensive approach to nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle, individuals can enhance their longevity, vitality, and quality of life well into their later years.
I hope you found this look at three of my favorite health and wellness book titles interesting and informative. Happy reading!