Ok, I admit it – I'm a bookworm. I love reading and I love having new books (or old books, or borrowed books or stolen books), and I don't mind the format either; I know a lot of people will say that there's nothing like a ´proper` book with real pages that have a smell of their own. They love the feel of the paper and the sheer satisfaction of holding a real book; and I'm definitely not going to disagree with that; there is something tremendously satisfying about actual, physical books. However, I like the advantages of e-books too: I like being able to carry what is essentially a whole library, especially if I am travelling; I like that I can go straight to a page or reference and even look things up on the spot if I need to; and I like that I can download a book instantly rather then wait to get to a shop or order online – although it has to be said this last one can be a bit hard on the wallet.
Some books definitely need to be physical - I love a proper recipe book, preferably with big, beautiful glossy photos, and I'm sure you also have found that trying to read on a tablet or screen outside can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, but I'm perfectly happy with books in any format as long as they offer me something. That something can be many things – advice, information, motivation, inspiration, a challenge, or just good old entertainment – and some of the best books offer all of these in one sitting.
The books I am listing here are some of the books that have helped me on my journey over the years and the ones I refer back to over and over again. Some are on diet and exercise, others are on mindfulness and some are just plain weird. They won't be everyone's cup of tea and you might find some of them odd, but I share them here as my reading list that you might also enjoy.
These are in no particular order – just as I have thought about them.
1. The Primal Blueprint – Mark Sisson
This really has to be here doesn't it? I came across Mark Sisson and the Primal Blueprint in 2012 and it really changed my whole outlook and philosophy on health and fitness. For the first time, here was a way of eating and being healthy that actually made sense, had good scientific backing, and it worked. So much so that I went out and became qualified Primal health coach!
Mark Sisson takes us thoroughly but gently through the theory and science behind ancestral and evolutionary health and guides us into the Primal lifestyle. He gives some excellent examples comparing a typical American (or European) lifestyle to that of modern-day hunter gatherers and offers real life, doable changes that anyone can make. Despite being a former ultra-marathon runner, Ironman and athletic coach, his approach is kind and forgiving rather than Type-A, boot camp strict. This is definitely the place to start if you're interested in finding out more about living Primally.
2. The Fast 800 – Dr Michael Mosley
It was actually through reading Dr Mosley's first book, 'The Fast Diet', that I came across Mark Sisson – Dr Mosley referenced Mark's Daily Apple (Mark Sisson's blog page) and I looked it up – and that, as they, say is history.
I could recommend any of Dr Mosley's books to be honest – The Fast Diet, Fast Exercise, The Blood Sugar Diet and Clever Guts, but this book actually combines the salient points of all the others and so is a quick and easy read to get the information you need.
What I particularly like about Dr Mosley is his no-nonsense scientific approach – he's not interested in snake oil and treats all claims with healthy scepticism. He's also not averse to testing things out on himself such as being infected with tapeworms to see if they help with weight loss (they don't and they're gross!).
In The Fast 800, Dr Mosley revisits the science behind fasting and its huge health benefits; the low-carb Blood Sugar Diet which has been proved to reverse T2 diabetes in many patients; High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which has been shown to be far more effective than long workouts, and also looking after your gut biome to achieve maximum health. It's an easy and entertaining read and definitely worth a look.
3. Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It – Gary Taubes
Gary Taubes is an award-winning science journalist whose passion is to address the major, chronic, first-world health concern for humans i.e. Obesity. He argues passionately against the decades-old, simplistic 'eat less, move more', paradigm and looks objectively and scientifically at the real reasons obesity has become such a global problem. To be fair, it's very science-heavy and you can get a bit bogged down in some of the research, but he is building a strong case for changing the way obesity is viewed and treated. He looks closely at the part hormones play in weight-gain and how these in turn are affected not so much by how much we eat but rather by what we eat. He also goes on to point out that over-eating and slothfulness are symptoms of obesity rather than causes and offers some excellent references and examples of how changing the diet, as opposed to just reducing calories , can have a major effect on weight-loss and restored health. A good read if, like me, you like geeking out on science stuff.
4. Death by Food Pyramid – Denise Minger
Despite the rather sensationalist title, this is in fact a very clear, science-based review of the food 'advice' we have been given over the last century. Denise Minger is a health writer and lecturer who isn't afraid to seriously challenge the advice offered by so-called experts. The premise of the book is 'how shoddy science and sketchy politics and shady special interests ruined your health'. Ms Minger isn't pushing any particular diet and she says straight out that if you're looking for a definitive answer, you won't find it here; what she is doing is looking at diet advice over the last century and how it has been corrupted and manipulated to suit the interests of big business and politicians.
It's a surprisingly easy read too – Denise Minger's style is chatty, funny and engaging; she writes of her own experiences with what she calls 'gurus' and her disastrous experiment with a raw-vegan diet. She lays out the historical and political machinations that have resulted in current 'official' diet advice and then leaves you to make your own mind up.
5. The Miracle of Mindfulness – Thich Nhat Hanh
Mindfulness is very popular and fashionable today and I´m a huge fan. It can reduce stress, improve mood and concentration and is often prescribed for depression as it has been shown to be more effective than anti-depressants. There doesn't seem to be any doubt about its effectiveness and thankfully more and more people are trying it and finding it a calming oasis in their busy lives, but it's not new, despite the recent surge in books on the subject; mindfulness and meditation are ancient practices which have been used for thousands of years in Eastern philosophy – it's only now that we in the West are beginning to recognise their value. Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) is a Buddhist monk, teacher and peace activist who founded the Plum Village Community in France and is renowned for his teachings on mindfulness, global ethics and peace. In this book he explains how to acquire the skills of mindfulness so that we can slow down our lives and and enjoy every moment. He describes the practice and uses gentle humour and anecdotes to show the true value of living mindfully.
I find this such a peaceful, calming book and I always come away feeling more at peace with the world and more able to live in the present moment. I would also add that practising mindfulness has huge benefits in regard to stress, emotional eating and allowing oneself to enjoy food fully rather than giving in to mindless cravings.
Plum Village has a meditation app that you can download onto your phone (not Apple, unfortunately) and I use this a lot for both meditation and mindfulness.
6. Mindfulness – A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World – Mark Williams and Danny Penn
Another excellent book on Mindfulness, this one addresses mindfulness very much in the context of the modern world. Based on Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) this is a really practical guide to practising mindfulness in our daily lives and demonstrates the huge benefits to be gained.
I actually did the 8-week course with some work colleagues a few years ago and it was tremendously powerful but even just working through this book on your own will give you all the tools you need to live more mindfully and calmly.
The book is divided into chapters which you do a week at a time over 8 weeks. Each chapter has an explanation, with some moving and entertaining examples of what can happen when we don't live mindfully, backed with psychology and science. Then there is a mindfulness meditation practice and a 'habit-releaser' to help us recognise how much of our lives are lived on auto-pilot. Both the e-book and the paperback have an audio supplement with guided meditations by Mark Williams – and they are so calming! Mark Williams voice is rich and peaceful and definitely adds to the mindfulness experience. If you only get one guide on Mindfulness, this is the one to get.
7. Barefoot Doctor Guide to the Tao – Barefoot Doctor (Stephen Russell)
A guide to the Tao unlike any other! Barefoot Doctor (aka Stephen Russell) has a uniquely, quirky style of writing and a unique and quirky take on Taoism – he called it 'Wayward Taoism'. His writing evolved through many years of experimenting with ancient martial arts, healing, meditation and 'magic' and for me, this is one of the best guides to working with the Tao. But don't expect some dour set of rules and 'Shall nots' – Barefoot Doctor was a bit of a rogue and a scoundrel and he positively encourages us to challenge conventions around religion and spirituality, but he is serious and the practices and methods he describes can be powerful tools in our lives. This is a book to make you question what you think you know about spirituality and to wake you up to life's unbounded possibilities.
8. The Effortless Life – Leo Babauta
Another book based on Taoist/Buddhist principles chiming in well with the move towards minimalism which is also very popular today. Minimalism is the mind and spirit aspect of Primal – our basic needs are really very simple: air to breathe, water, food, clothing and shelter but we make our modern lives much more complicated and stressful than they need to be. In the modern world we are bombarded with the latest 'must-haves' and 'must-dos' and taking a simpler course has until recently been unfashionable and odd. But I think things are slowly changing and with the advent of Coronavirus and lockdown, many people are beginning to question the fast-paced crazy race that we we're all caught up in.
Leo takes us through his philosophy of living simply but at the same time fully and richly. He asks us to rethink our need to be 'doing' all the time and to consider the simplest pleasures. Then he offers us a series of ways to change the way we live to make our lives simpler and more meaningful.
What I really love about this book is that it was written as a collaboration with many others and has no copyright attached – it's purpose is to share the Effortless Life with as many people as possible.
I don't necessarily agree with all of his points – I'm unlikely to become a vegan marathon runner anytime soon – but overall this is a helpful, practical guide to uncomplicating your life.
9. Essential Zen Habits – Leo Babauta
Another uncopyrighted book by Leo Babauta but this is specifically related to forming and breaking habits as you try to change your life. Leo describes the tiny steps he took to stop smoking, get fit, start a business and ultimately change his life and he offers this to help anyone else wanting to make new habits or break old ones.
As always, his style is simple and readable and the steps he offers to make a new habit are so tiny but so effective, it's hard to imagine not being able to achieve any habit you might want to form.
10. Anything you like....
Not everything I read is serious and edifying – sometimes there's nothing better than something entertaining for its own sake. I love a bit of trashy chic-lit or a good murder mystery especially if I don't want to have to work too hard. In the end, what you read needs to be pleasing in some way and if that is just something to lose yourself in for an hour or two, well, why not?
Let me know in the comments about books that have changed your life in some way – I'm always looking for new inspiration .
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