It’s hard to know what is real and what is not in the world of health. Rewind 300 years ago and bleeding by leeches to balance your “humors” might be a bestselling pamphlet. You can play this game for nearly anytime in history.
There are many bad ideas that we shudder at today but were taken as common sense in their time. That’s why it can be tough to recommend health and wellness books; they often tend toward fads. Plus, with so much research constantly underway, scientific opinion is continually changing and recalibrating.
Several books have stood up over time and provided practical and scientific ideas about health. And importantly, many of them are exciting and interesting reads, so give them a try on your journey towards wellness influencer status.
Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling Our Modern Plagues
This book is easy to read and makes several good arguments for why the use of antibiotics might be harming our gut biome and our wider health. The author is a microbiologist.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
A popular and interesting book for anyone that likes running and wondered why their feet hurt.
The author blends a story about an indigenous people who can run hundreds of miles without resting and modern science out of Harvard. Plus, some quirky characters keep the yawning at bay.
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder
You might be more familiar with the famous documentary Pumping Iron, but did you know Arnold Schwarzenegger also wrote an autobiography based around his bodybuilding career? This book is interesting for weightlifters and as a snapshot of the early days of bodybuilding. Many weightlifters would be inspired by it.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Sleep is a problem for a lot of us today. Whether it’s working long hours or untimely Netflix binges, we don’t always get the rest we should. This book examines some of the ways people slept in the past, so it’s fun for a history lover but also brings decades of sleep research together for practical help.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
This book made Michael Pollan a household name. It’s a great read, interesting, and gives a lot of insight into the past and future of how we eat.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
A top-rated and well-reviewed book, this one is newer than many on our list. It’s a book on holistic healing and how so many of us need it. The author looks into new therapies to treat trauma, from the survivors of war to domestic abuse survivors.
Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi
You might not go full vegetarian, but many nutritionists agree we could all use more vegetables in our diet. This book by a celebrity chef is fun to read and full of awesome recipes.
The Mindfulness Solution
There are lots of books to choose from to learn meditation and mindfulness techniques, but this is a great place to begin your journey. This book provides easy to follow instructions. The author is a Harvard professor who practiced and studied these techniques with his patients for years. Sounds like a reliable source to us!
