Friday Tidbits #8: Books for Christmas
Welcome to Friday Tidbits. This is a very short email with morsels of information to help you tweak your life and health for optimum longevity and healthy ageing.
22 Dec 2023
Something a little different today. I love reading and I hope some of you do as well. I have compiled a short list of book recommendations in the themes of Sleep, Move, Breathe, Stress and Nutrition.
Here are some of my favourite books I have read over the last year or so.
1. Sleep - Matthew Walker
An easy read of the science of sleep. Dr Walker is a neuroscientist and Professor University of California. He delves into the changes of sleep across the life span, the dangers of poor sleep. He makes a strong case for prioritising sleep to improve daily mental and physical performance and also reduce the risk of dementia and chronic disease. If you prefer audio, he also has a podcast: The Matt Walker Podcast.
2. Go the F*ck to Sleep - Adam Mansbach & Ricardo Cortes
For all my sleep-deprived friends with toddlers that refuse to go to sleep at a reasonable hour. A bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a toddler sailing blissfully off the dreamland.
3. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - James Nestor
This is the book I most often recommend to clients that want to learn more about why re-training your breathing is important. There are better books about the science of breathing - but they tend to be on the dry side. Nestor explores the history of yogic breathing, Pranayama and Tummo, travelling to far-out places to experience the effects of different breathing practices. He interviews expert pulmonologists on the influence of poor breathing has on snoring, sleep apnea, asthma and allergies.
4. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity - Peter Attia
I have followed Attia’s work for over a decade and his philosophy has influenced my approach in many ways. I love his idea of Centenarian Olympics: what do you have to do today in order to be able to run 100m and carry 20kg when you are older. As a medical doctor, Peter Attia has carved out a niche in the longevity space. His patients include high performers like Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth. He is a proponent that prevention is better than finding a cure after the fact. He is able to read medical research with a critical eye to tease on the nonsense and apply what is actionable to himself and his patients. His podcast, The Drive with Peter Attia, is well worth following. Some of the best include the importance of replacing estrogen (HRT) in menopausal women, all things prostate health and food allergies.
5. Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully - Kelly & Juliet Starrett
I am a long-time fan of Kelly Starrett - the creator of Mobility WOD, now rebranded as The Ready State. His approach to teaching self-care and creating opportunities to move in your day has underpinned my approach to exercise and mobility. I have used his techniques over many years to help with little aches and pains that creep in from exercise and not moving enough. This book is a culmination of all his previous works. It aims to teach the everyday person to a set of simple principles and practices to improve ease of movement. Best of all, you do not have to make a great deal of time - even as little as 5 minutes at the end of the day can bring a difference.
6. The Comfort Crisis - Micheal Easter
This is probably my favourite book of the last 12 months. Easter wraps the science in an engaging retelling of his 33-day hunting expedition to remote Alaska. He delves into the mind and body benefits of living at the edge of your comfort zone. We live in environments designed to create comfort. We seldom challenge our physiology to adapt the to extremes of temperature. We seldom go really hungry and most of us have constant shelter. But what if this lack of discomfort contributes to our mental health issues? Follow Micheal here.
Some books that I plan to read soon:
1. Forever Strong: a New, Science-based Strategy for Ageing Well - Gabrielle Lyon
Dr Lyon promotes the idea of muscle-centric medicine. Frailty as we age is preventable. By prioritising your muscle health in terms of composition and function, you will simultaneously also address metabolic health, hormone balance and body composition. A must read for anyone interested in no being frail.
2. Why Zebras Don’t get Ulcers - Robert M Sapolsky
As a professor in biology and neurology at Stanford University, Sapolsky explains why we lie awake at night. Emotional and psychological stress change the physiology of our bodies, literally making us sick. Listen to his talk here.
3. The Language of Breath - Jesse Coomer
Coomer is a breathwork expert. He delves into the bidirectional connection between breathing and mental health.
