While a significant milestone or ceremonial gesture is not needed to take control of your health, a sense of relief, excitement, and inspiration comes when the clock strikes midnight of the new year.
The new year can be a fresh start and an opportunity to change what’s not working and implement new practices. So no matter if health has never been a priority for you or you have a general idea of what a healthy lifestyle looks like but have never stretched those New Year’s Resolutions past a few days, here are some resources that can help to change your perception and mindset on health and implement lasting changes in 2023!
Books To Read for Gut Health on Mindset & Understanding of Health
Mindset is everything! When it comes to living healthy, fulfilling lives, consider your mental health. Unfortunately, it is extremely common for people to say, “I am going to turn my health around in 2023,” without a comprehensive understanding of what this means and the tools to reach this goal. They buy the water bottle, sign-up for the gym membership, and look up meal prep ideas because it’s what they think they “should do,” but then fall off the wagon when life gets busy, and sadly, they feel defeated and give up. Does this sound familiar?
Adopting a sustainable, healthy lifestyle doesn’t usually happen overnight; that is okay! However, taking small steps and slowly building your toolkit is much more realistic for most people and will pay off big-time in the long run.
If you are starting the new year knowing that you want to change but don’t know where to begin, my advice is to start by learning about your body! Explore why gut health is so important, why you need to drink water, and how specific nutrients from certain foods help you. By knowing the reasons behind healthy habits, changing your outlook, and rejecting unrealistic expectations, you will be much more equipped to get back up! There’s no shame in getting back up if you fall off the health wagon. Are you ready to ignite real change in your life?
To start your health journey, here are books that I highly recommend. These will help lay a solid foundation by rewiring your brain on what “health” means. While they are all excellent choices, I encourage you to review this list to determine which fits your specific goals and concerns. You can also take advantage of my free blog posts and other resources that will provide similar insight.
Plant-Based Eating Books to Read for Gut Health
As a lifestyle medicine doctor and massive advocate for the fact that food is medicine, plant-based eating is a critical way that I treat my patients and live my life. If you’ve grown up on the standard American diet and are at the beginning of your health journey, this might sound like a foreign concept. I have seen first-hand how fueling your body with plants can completely change gut health, which is a game changer. As you start your health journey, I encourage you to read at least one of the following books about plant-based eating and how it impacts gut health and overall well-being.
- The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 Days to a Healthier You By Alan Desmond
- Proteinaholic: How Our Obsession with Meat Is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It By Garth Davis M.D.
- Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program By Will Bulsiewicz MD
General Healthy Lifestyle Books
- Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself By William W Li MD
- Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition By T. Colin Campbell
- Abuela’s Plant-Based Kitchen Vegan Cuisine Inspired by Latin & Caribbean Family Recipes By Karla Salinari, Draco Rosa
- Your Body in Balance: The New Science of Food, Hormones, and Health By Neal D Barnard MD FACC
- The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People By Dan Buettner
- The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest By Dan Buettner
- The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution: The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline
Books to Read for Gut Health and Disease Management
If you’re struggling with a chronic condition or disease, starting a health journey can feel even more daunting. But, just like ordinary people need to understand their bodies, it is even more critical for you.
If you are struggling with disease and chronic pain and want to work on your overall health, I encourage you to seek out resources specific to your personal struggles and needs.
Sometimes, individuals who have lived with chronic conditions are the healthiest of us all because they don’t have the option to slack on their health. It is possible to get your condition in check and live a full and healthy life! Here are some books that I recommend. These are tailored to specific needs. I also strive to address particular health issues, so check out my website for blog posts, guides, and other resources to help you get on track.
- Diabetes: Mastering Diabetes: The Revolutionary Method to Reverse Insulin Resistance Permanently in Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2, Prediabetes, and Gestational Diabetes by Cyrus Khambatta PhD
- Diabetes & Chronic Illness: Healthy at Last: A Plant-Based Approach to Preventing and Reversing Diabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses by Eric Adams
- Alzheimer’s: The Alzheimer’s Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age by Dean Sherzai
- Heart Disease: Prevent And Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure by Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr.
Healthy Environment, Healthy Families
My last note is to make the people around you aware that this is not a fad and that you are trying to make a real change. Getting your partner to embark on a health journey with you or at least support you will help eliminate unhealthy influence and support you.
Suppose you want to go the extra mile and lay a solid foundation for your children. In that case, A Parent’s Guide to Intuitive Eating: How to Raise Kids Who Love to Eat Healthy by Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster is an excellent read and will help you to avoid picky eating habits and set your kids up for success.
My challenge for you is to start your health journey by reframing how you see health and wellness. Having a solid mindset and understanding behind the actions that you are taking to better yourself is key to staying motivated.
A health journey is a lifelong endeavor and should be approached in that way. This is not to overwhelm you or make you feel defeated but to help you see the bigger picture and understand the importance of setting attainable and practical goals as we enter the new year. You can change your life by understanding your body and what works for you! For more resources and tips on how to find what makes you feel happy and healthy, check out my Instagram, free guides, blog posts, and resources.
P.S. Don’t forget to visit my shop page for more, including my very own ebooks to get you started on your gut health journey!
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