The Top 5 Health Books Everyone Should Read
Over the years, I have tried to educate myself the best I can by reading as much as I could on all different health subjects ranging from nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress and habit behaviour. I have come across a full range of experts who have been wonderful to learn from and engage with.
I am very particular in the advice and recommendations I share with my clients, so I am not one of these people who just share anything I come across. I have to make sure that what I have learnt is strong in its facts and will stand the test of time and not just a fad.
But there are five books that I have gone back time and time again to re-read and cement in my knowledge. These books have stopped me in my tracks and made me completely rethink what I already thought I knew about health and wellbeing. I am sure they will do the same for you.
What is the link between light and sugar when it comes to today’s obesity epidemic? It all involves our evolutionary past. The more light we encounter, the more we want to eat sugar. In today’s modern world, we have tipped things on their head through 24-hour light and easy available sugary foods. It is time to get back in sync with nature before it’s too late.
After reading this book, you will never doubt the importance of sleep. Most of us think when it comes to improving our health, that nutrition and exercise play the most important role, but as Mathew nicely put it, the foundation that the pillars of nutrition and exercise sit on top is sleep. If you want to undermine your health in the most effective way, mess up your sleep.
Man’s Search For Meaning, Viktor Frankl
You might be thinking about how a book about surviving the holocaust of the Second World War has to do about improving your health and wellbeing. What I learnt from reading this book is that we are capable of achieving great things if we have a strong purpose in life. Without purpose, we are more likely to drift from one action to the next. To truly achieve great health you need to perform certain actions over and over again. Consistency. Without consistency, you will never get to where you want to go.
Against The Grain, Richard Manning
Have you ever stopped and thought about how the food you are eating came about? Well, this book made me stop and think. Why are certain foods vastly more popular than other foods? It is not because they are healthier. It all comes down to how easy they are produced and profited from. Take control back over the food you eat and not be manipulated by what is popular and what you have always eaten.
Invisible Influence, Jonah Berger
99.9% of the actions you perform are subconscious. You are not even aware of what you are doing. If you understand this, you can manipulate people to do what you want them to do without them even knowing it. So much of our daily habits and behaviours are performed on autopilot. To achieve the health you want, you need to learn how to notice how you are being influenced and take back control over your actions and therefore your results.
Well, there you have, the top five books that have helped me better understand what it takes to be healthy and educate my clients. You might not agree with all of them, but they will make you think and challenge your current beliefs, which isn’t a bad thing.
Chris Deavin, myHealthCoach
To find out more about how to become and stay healthy over the age of 50, visit www.myhealthcoach.online, or one of my social media channels; Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
