Simply..read all about it....

24/1/2018

Lucille's comment yesterday (I immediately went and looked up The 4 Pillars) got me thinking it would be good to take a look at the health and wellbeing books I have found interesting and/or useful over the years.

there has been a huge shift in attitude towards taking responsibility for our own health and wellbeing - ie self help.

I've read lots of these books and found them fascinating. I've always had a craving for sugar and was cured of a (mild) depression and educated about sugar by Potatoes Not Prozac by Kathleen Desmaisons.. I like the writing of the late David Servan-Schreiber, notably Anti Cancer A New Way of Life and Healing Without Freud Or Prozac. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay I use as a thought provoking reference book every now and then, and books about gut health have been useful (I am a convert to kefir!) Gut by Julia Enders is the one I have kept. Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers was quite influential at one point. Zoe Harcomb probably changed my eating habits more than anyone and my current favourite is Lean For Life by Louise Parker. Her 4 principles are Think Successfully, Live Well, Eat Beautifully, and Work Out Intelligently - which just about covers it all wouldn't you say?

Do you have favourites?

Day Five has gone well except I seem to be doing fewer steps each day!!

Yorkshire Steam II :-)

14 Comments

Swissrose link

24/1/2018 11:28:36 pm

Yes, I've had an interest, too, over the years.
Most recently, Giulia Enders, a young German woman, has written a bestseller that is also becoming popular in English about the intestine and digestive system. She manages to write with humour in a surprisingly appealing way, considering the subject matter! English title is a bit boring, The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ (the German was shorter, snappier and more appealing, honest!!). We thought it well-researched (she was a student at the time).
After a lifelong adherence to a wholefoods diet, we altered our way of eating last summer. My husband was discovered to have type 2 diabetes when a surgical wound was slow healing, and after switching to a low carb-high fat diet, it healed within two weeks (after nearly 6 mths of slow going). This of course set us on an interesting path and we are actually feeling a lot happier with this style of eating - and I have always adored my carbs! Turns out they weren't so good for me after all!! We read and watched a lot by Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt (diet doctor), Dr. Jason Fung (I'm just reading his Obesity Code) and Dr. Robert Lustig (who is the sugar specialist). Fascinating. Oh, and my husband's "numbers" are down dramatically - blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, you name it :o
These are less holistic than the ones you mention, I know, and we haven't had the depression aspect, so far, though what with menopause, that is also an issue!

Freda

25/1/2018 12:36:29 pm

What wonderful results for your husband! That is great. Thank you for the links, especially Dr Eenfeldt (new to me). Being able to do your own research online is amazing and finding your way among the tons of stuff out there is a challenge and a skill worth acquiring, which is why recommendations from people you respect are so helpful...

Swissrose link

24/1/2018 11:31:27 pm

oops, I now realise that the book I mention has been adapted, both in author name and title to that which you mention - Giulia is now Julia and the title "Gut" is even shorter than the German one... lol! Sorry.

Freda

25/1/2018 12:37:20 pm

Got it! :-)

Mary

25/1/2018 04:00:54 am

Must admit I don't have much to offer in the way of book suggestions on these topics. Since where I live there is little option for buying food other than the local supermarket (some summer farmer markets, but limited), I have tried to do what they call 'shopping around the edges'. Meaning I avoid as much processed food as possible (usually located in the center portion of stores) and try to limit my purchases to fresh, and where possible, organic items. This isn't to say this works 100% of the time, and I cannot say I am thrilled with the quality of the produce at the supermarket, but it is the best I have been able to do up till now. With a bit more time now, I plan to investigate other fresh food sources that might be available, but they are likely to require driving farther to find them and I am concerned that they may be too pricey.

I did set a 10 minute timer yesterday and walked at a good pace around my house, in and out of rooms (the dog was not amused). Managed about 1300 steps. So if I do this several times a day, it is one way to overcome bad weather and still get some steps in. Only one more day, Freda!

Freda

25/1/2018 12:42:18 pm

Well done with the steps(Puzzled dog?) wonder if there might be a box scheme near you? They are popular in uk and delivered usually. The edges of the supermarket is a very good tip. Last day tomorrow - hanging in there!

Mary

25/1/2018 01:26:50 pm

The dog kept looking at me wondering why I was walking around the house in circles. He followed me for a bit, but then decided a nap was a better idea. Guess he was thinking I should have put on his leash and taken him with me--preferably outside. Problem with walking him (for exercise) is that he is more interested in sniffing than walking. He has a fenced yard so he gets plenty of runs on his own--and a couple of our 'grand-dogs' come over for play-dates. Such is the state of the world today. :)

The nearest box scheme I could find is about 35 miles away, so a 70 mile round trip to pick things up is bit cost prohibitive with the price of gas. Will look again in the spring to see if anything closer pops up.

Julia

25/1/2018 04:51:02 am

Ok!!! Well, since you asked..:-) i have a few favorites that i still recommend all the time: for diet: protein power by michael and mary eades. This book taught me how carbs were “driving” my hunger and weight gain.
Exercise and mental health: my first and still favorite: the american association of yoga beginner’s manual, 1987. For sanity: the untethered soul by michael singer (great for learning detachment!). First aid for musculo-skeletal pain: pain free by pete egoscue. He has several but this is the exact title of the one on first aid..the one on pain free for a woman’s life is also great! Best book on stretching: the stark reality of stretching by steven stark...absolutley excellent! The zen of creativity: by john daido loori....ok folks..those are the ones i recommend over and over..going back to the 90’s.

Freda

25/1/2018 12:43:39 pm

Oh lots of good reading! Thank you so much for sharing these Julia.

Lotta

25/1/2018 10:35:31 am

Now if only we all lived near each other we could borrow each other's books! The thing I've found just as valuable as books though has been reconnecting with my own intuition. Our bodies know what they need, we just don't always listen! And I don't know if this will be helpful for anyone, but there is also a really easy way to self-test for food sensitivities...
Stand upright and be prepared for your whole body to lean gently forwards or backwards. Hold an item of food (eg apple) against your abdomen and ask your question silently... Is it ok for me to eat apples? Your body will want to lean one way or the other. Forwards = yes Backwards = no. It might take some practise to tune in, but it does work!
Obviously if you already know you are allergic/sensitive to something keep avoiding that food... this method is good, but not foolproof!

Freda

25/1/2018 12:46:22 pm

Now I've not heard of that! I think you are absolutely right about intuition - it takes time and awareness but is so valuable. It would be fun to swap books but this is the next best thing I guess. Thanks Lotta.

Cristiana

25/1/2018 11:04:19 am

READ is my word for 2018. So, taking lots of notes for books to read (currently reading Barbara Sher, THANK YOU, lots of it hits home to me). I do read plenty of the self-help books and found them helpful, provided you read them with a critical mind. For every book defending any given idea there will be others tearing that idea apart. I think it's happening with food choices nowadays. There's the no fat, or the no sugar, or the no gluten, or the no carbs... (not criticizing, I'm on the no animal products, no processed food, no oil teams...). I think everyone should experiment with different approaches and see what works best for them, each body is different and reacts differently to food intake, not to mention our history towards eating habits and the social pressure...

Freda

25/1/2018 12:51:21 pm

What a good word, and what good points you raise. It would be so easy to be overwhelmed by all the conflicting information. Using our intuition as Lotta says, and perhaps using my word 'Gently' we should find it both enjoyable and stimulating to find what suits us best. I've made a few new discoveries this intensive week - and loved the support and help from everyone here. Thank you Crisitana.

Swissrose link

25/1/2018 11:04:41 pm

Agreed. I do believe that we need to differentiate between our endlessly varied bodies, which is a good thing. I'm pretty sure there isn't just one single fix for absolutely everyone!

Simply..read all about it....

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