9 Books that will change your life and create a better you
Taking care of your Body, Mind and Soul
Forget your new year’s resolutions (chances are you have already forgotten them, so scratch that). Considering your body is your vessel, it stands to reason that taking good care of it will have a positive impact on your life in general.
These are some books that might help you improve your lifestyle and make smarter decisions to live a better life.
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence
Risk factors include smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise cause 70% of fatalities. US citizens are less cheerful in 2018 than in 2008. The key to understanding these phenomena is comprehending how our brains convey pain and pleasure. Pleasure causes pain, and the more we experience pleasure, the less we suffer. Our dopamine-deficient brains are perpetually hooked on pain and addiction.
This reduces our capacity to enjoy pleasure and increases our sensitivity to suffering. Addicts and alcoholics in recovery have tapped into knowledge well suited to an over-consumed environment. Delilah used cannabis daily to relieve stress. Psychologist David Lembke advised her to embark on a month-long dopamine fast. Fortunately, Delilah’s nervousness subsided after a month.
Science confirms it. Pain may lead to pleasure. Moderate exposure to painful stimuli may boost organism's resilience. Weaknesses in age-related illnesses have been associated with intermittent fasting. Maria confessed her drinking and begged her brother’s forgiveness.
This act of honesty brought them closer. Truth-telling frees us, makes us aware of our actions, and fosters connection. Shame is necessary for community formation and is the right response to transgression. Alcoholics Anonymous promotes pro-social guilt that accepts transgressions. It builds humility and strengthens our support networks.
Lembke’s advice to us is to enjoy our lives, appreciate its intricacies, and seek for balance. Consider your usage over time and how you behave day-to-day. Looking at the larger picture helps motivate you to improve your habits.
SUPERLIFE
Your food and drink make up every aspect of you. Dietary supplements are not recommended. Dietary lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients are essential to life. Local and organic produce is healthier for your health. Global supply lines provide food from farms hundreds of kilometers distant.
Our food must be clean, since modern agricultural techniques might be dangerous. Our food is not as nutritious nowadays. Organic food is devoid of pesticides and other poisons. Children raised on pesticide-sprayed farms have a higher risk of cancer. Our stomach contains around 500 types of bacteria that help us digest our meals.
Most gut microorganisms are food-dependent. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with fiber and minerals that keep gut microorganisms happy. Gut flora-friendly foods include sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha. 7% of us do not drink enough water, and 4/5 drink too little. Better diet and focused breathing may boost oxygen levels in our tissues.
If you are feeling weary or irritable, drink plenty of water instead of soda or coffee! Proteins in the human body need a pH equilibrium to operate properly. Too much acid in the body may irritate tissues and membranes, as well as hinder digestion. Eating fewer acidic meals helps maintain an alkaline interior. Modern life appears to be acidifying.
We need to stay alkaline. We can help our detox systems by avoiding processed meals. Toxins build up in your liver, intestines, muscles, and joints. The Columbia School of Public Health detected over 3,000 contaminants in packaged goods. 10,000 chemicals were used in production.
Chemicals used on crops, and animals are poisonous. Eliminating processed foods may help our detox systems. You can improve your health and well-being. Take care of the five life forces that affect every bodily function. Set one basic, attainable aim for each life force. Minor lifestyle modifications might help improve mood and energy.
Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don’t Have To
We have always accepted aging as a fact of life. But new research is changing our perspective on aging. Genetic advances reveal aging as a disease that may be treated. Eliminating aging would extend our lives and increase their quality. Hazards in the outdoors include predators and other environmental conditions.
In lab circumstances, they seem to be eternal, showing no indications of aging. Could humans have evolved similarly? Our genetic hard-wiring suggests we can. Some cells developed a gene circuit to survive. Gene A is the red light, whereas gene B is the green light.
This prevented damaged DNA from being reproduced, which is one way cells lose their capacity to multiply. Sirtuin genes, for example, are vital in the battle against aging. These genes encode sirtuins, a class of proteins that may move about within their home cell, turning on and off other genes in an emergency. Diets low in animal protein are common in Blue Zones. Residents of Ikaria, Greece, fast according to the Greek Orthodox calendar.
But long-term calorie restriction is not for everyone. Rapamycin suppresses the cell growth gene mTOR. Metformin, produced from goat’s rue and wildflowers, is a miracle medication. It lowers dementia by 4%, heart disease by 19%, and frailty by 19%. Get rid of your zombie cells first.
Senescent cells have DNA damage and lose the ability to proliferate. The accumulation of senescent cells speeds up the aging process. Pharmaceutics may help. Senolytics are medications designed to kill senescent cells. Senolytics extend the lives of mice by 36% on average.
Shinya Yamanaka, a Japanese scientist, may have found how to change human cells. Every month we live adds a week to our lives. In 2019, half of children born in Japan will live to 107, and half to 104 in the US. How would a century-plus lifetime affect the world? Heal the world’s economy by curing aging.
As a society, we will be more energetic, productive, healthy, and joyful. Longevity and vitality will liberate billions of dollars in untapped retirement savings and infuse them into the economy.
Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite
Diet fads all include temporary calorie deprivation. Andrew Jenkinson advises learning about your body’s metabolism. Four billion years ago, a serendipitous encounter addressed single-celled energy issues. Humans evolved 250,000 years ago. Their brains were larger than Homo erectus, our first non-ape predecessors.
The brain consumes 25% of our calorie intake. Size affects an animal’s energy budget. The bigger the animal, the more mitochondria. Our brain is four times that of gorillas. How can we get more energy?
Our intestines are shorter and less energy-intensive. Evidence shows Homo erectus began cooking with fire in caves a million years ago. Using fire also aids in the digestion of roots and tubers. As a result, our intestines shrank, allowing our brains to grow. A sensor and a switch are required for negative feedback.
The sensor detects deviations and activates the switch, returning the system to normal. Negative feedback loops exist for hydration, energy usage, and storage. Overeating speeds up our metabolism. But the body can not store energy forever. Trying to do so would make us swollen and unable to move.
Overeating boosts metabolic rate by 10%. Dieters who first reduce weight typically plateau and eventually gain weight. In times of famine, the body seeks to save energy by slowing down metabolism. We now understand why diets fail: calorie restriction mimics hunger and slows metabolism. The hypothalamus communicates with fat cells.
Overeating causes fat cells to release leptin into the circulation. The first turns on or off hunger; the second speeds up or slows metabolism. Obesity is a contemporary Western food environment recipe. We consume less natural fat and more sugar and vegetable oils. That undermines the anti-obesity negative metabolic feedback loop.
That choice contributed to today’s obesity crisis. Sugar consumption has increased by 20% since 1980. Our bodies are built to avoid weight. We overeat because our contemporary food environment typically bypasses this programming.
It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways
The food you consume also influences your gut health, where food is digested down into nutrients. AVOID GRAINS, LEGUMES, SEED OILS Grains are high in phytate, which helps plants store phosphorus (to help them grow). Soy includes phytoestrogens called isoflavones. Fat is vital since it provides energy that is healthier for your body than carbohydrate energy.
Avoid trans fats (manufactured fats) and “bad” saturated fats (refined carbs like morning cereals). The Whole30 regimen seeks to reset your metabolism and remove unhealthy eating cravings in 30 days. Each meal should include one to two servings of protein. Every meal should include fat sources like olives or avocados. After 30 days, you may reintroduce harmful foods.
Soy, non-gluten grains, and dairy products may be tried now. Follow up with a day of good eating and watch how your body feels.
The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition
One in five people has a mental illness. More than any drug, good eating may help your mental health. “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy diet,” Hippocrates said. The People’s Home Library recommended readers to eat healthier 100 years ago. Since 1985, direct-to-consumer advertising has grown in popularity.
Your brain will serve you better if you feed it well. How our genes are expressed determines how we think and feel. The brain foods may help you battle inflammation and environmental pollutants. Healthy eating may cure hereditary illnesses like ADHD and depression. Ensure proper nutrition at critical life periods such as adolescence, childbearing, and old age.
The data show a substantial link between what we eat and how we feel. Eating healthy may genuinely help your mental health. Prebiotics, probiotics, and even feces transplants are showing promise. Single vitamin C or iron tablets do not appear to have the same impact as multinutrient pills or capsules with many vitamins and minerals. No “cure” for many diseases, although they seem to aid with mood and self-regulation.
Eliminating harmful items from your diet may improve your health. The Mediterranean diet is the most brain-friendly. Invest in healthy gadgets like an Instant Pot, air fryer, immersion blender, and food processor. The typical American now consumes 3 lbs. No minerals, vitamins, or phytonutrients in processed foods.
5,000 chemicals in our food cannot be broken down or rinsed out. When choosing supplements, there are a few common rules to follow. A good multinutrient will contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals. RDAs inform you how much of a vitamin you need to prevent a deficit. There are simple things you can do to make your brain happy.
Eating genuine food may assist with ADHD and sadness. You can receive all the vitamins and minerals you need for healthy brain function by eating correctly and taking multinutrients.
Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life
Optimum nutrition may help your brain at any age. The right diet may help avoid future disorders like dementia, but it can also assist enhance current brain function. The Food and Mood Center at Deakin University discovered that dietary adjustments help ease severe depression. Kivipelto’s research included 1,200 seniors at risk of cognitive deterioration. Half of the individuals were in loneliness, depression, or stress support groups.
The rest of the group followed their eating and activity plans. Their cognitive function increased by 25%. Sugar wreaks havoc on your brain and lurks in unexpected locations. Trans fat intake is connected to brain shrinkage and Alzheimer’s risk. Word recall declines by 0.76 words per gram of trans fat ingested.
Replace grains with veggies and sugar-free fruits, including coconuts, olives, avocados, and cacao. We need cholesterol in our arteries for brain health, but it may also cause illness. The brain contains 25% of your body’s total cholesterol. Sugar and carbs, not cholesterol, cause illness. Avoid them for better health.
Ketones are a great brain fuel. To get more, you may fast or feast. Ketones enhance learning, brain plasticity, and mood regulation. The answer is to consume ketone-producing foods. Prebiotic fiber is a kind of carbohydrate that promotes gut bacterial development.
You may find it in avocados and fennel and coffee and unripe bananas. Prebiotics assist the brain battle aging and inflammation. Take celiac disease, an autoimmune illness. Eat a diet that fulfills your brain’s chemical demands to balance your mood. Avoid anticholinergic medicines and consume choline-rich meals.
Vitamin D and omega-3s are natural sources. The Genius Regimen is a 14-day diet plan. Avoid brain-damaging foods like processed oils and grains. Grass-fed and free-range meat, omega-3-rich oils, and ketone-producing fats. Food has a tremendous influence on brain health.
Choose the diet today to avoid dementia and Alzheimer’s. Eating healthy not only protects your long-term health, but also makes you feel better now!
The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss
It is more vital to think about weight reduction than to consume. Body and weight concerns are linked to self-esteem and self-image. You cannot lose weight unless you untangle these issues. Setbacks need self-compassion. We need to stop discussing weight loss in judgmental terms.
It is easy to lose sight of all the beautiful traits that make you who you are. Dispel negative ideas. Negative thinking may take four forms. Accept positive thinking. Do not diminish your efforts based on a few failures.
“I am too chaotic to achieve my goals.” Answering these questions helps you create a precise, hassle-free strategy. Consider this your roadmap to weight loss success. Finding your talents is critical to growing as a person. Drs. Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman investigated faiths, philosophies, and writings from all around the globe to come up with a list of 24 character characteristics.
To reduce weight and become a better person, you must use your personal strengths. Focusing on your abilities not only helps you lose weight, but also makes you happier and more contented. If you have been called “chubby” or seen that your slender friends get asked out but not you, you could blame your physique. But weight should not define who you are. Instead, concentrate on treating your body with decency and respect.
People with social support are more likely to eat well and exercise. Those with social support were more successful than those who tried it alone after six months. We must include some people in your tour because of proximity. It is a decision. To be happy, you do not need to lose 25 pounds or slim down.
Gratitude, a positive outlook, and regular exercise may help you achieve your objectives. Happiness levels of 18-year-olds influenced their income at 27. If you are having trouble being compassionate with yourself after a setback, send yourself a letter. After making the seven mental alterations concerning your body and weight, you will learn to live a more positive, joyful life.
How Not To Die: Discover the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease
Primary causes of early mortality are diet-related. The American medical profession lacks nutritional knowledge. The risk of heart attack for Japanese-Americans at 40 is the same as that of Japanese at 60. Eating healthy does not have to be difficult. Physicians are required by law to complete 12 hours of dietary instruction over a period of four years.
Instead, doctors are directed to prescribe medications. Plant-based diets have been shown to treat many ailments better than medicines. Your body can heal itself with a healthy diet. The best-selling prescription drug in history is Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering statin medicine. Some people are arguing that it should be incorporated into public water supplies like fluoride.
A plant-based diet is equally effective and does not pose any dangers. The antioxidant content of B berries is ten times more potent than that of other fruits, second only to herbs and spices. As cells cycle and age, telomeres, the nucleotide caps on DNA, keep them safe. Beans should be consumed at every meal, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Products made from soybeans, such as tofu, should be avoided.
The consumption of whole grains may help prevent diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and strokes. It is estimated that nuts and seeds save 2.5 million lives each year. It may help lower cholesterol faster than statins if you eat Brazil nuts. The world’s population is at risk for mortality and disability due to the consumption of too few seeds and nuts. The most recommended seeds are sunflower and chia.
Curcumin, a component of turmeric that gives it its rich yellow color, has been found to be helpful in fighting cancer. The consumption of turmeric should be avoided when you have gallstones or kidney stones. Women in America are affected by colon cancer 10 times more than women in India. Tea, coffee, and water are all healthful options. Especially if you have cancer or heart disease, you should avoid every other beverage.
The only people who gain from alcohol are dentists and ill individuals. Walking for an hour a day can reduce mortality by 24 percent. Consuming animal products today is capable of leading to serious health problems. Major diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, may be prevented or treated with dietary changes.
