“Feed Your Mind.”
I first heard corporate trainer and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar say these words in a cassette-tape talk that bandied about my mother’s car for years and years. He talked about ways to keep ourselves positive and uplifted, what kinds of books and other educational materials were best suited for a positive, successful life, and which ones just, well, weren’t. And now that I’ve had some time to wade into the astoundingly confusing land of mass media health headlines, I can absolutely say that we have to become discerning consumers of health news. It’s not enough to say “well, I read it in the [insert name of prominent publication here].” Our health is too important to hand over to the writers of what we could call “Unhelpful Health Headlines.”
That means a recent story on what Australian scientists inferred from the experiences of 34 overweight people who went on a crash liquid diet and (surprise) had lasting healthy problems two years later might be accurate, in terms of what those scientists did in their study, but it might not be helpful to those of us who are dedicated to living healthier lives through much safer and more sustainable means of weight loss.
In that spirit, the resources on this page have been compiled to give you some good news: these are the books, websites, films, videos, and other resources that pass our muster and make sense to us. We believe in science-based health solutions, not the latest passing fad, and so we look to organizations like the American Diabetes Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the National Institutes of Health for solid information on weight management, physical activity, and what the science says about how we can live our healthiest lives through proper lifestyle choices. Read on! And if you follow the links to purchase the resources below, you’ll be helping our site to grow and expand as a member of the Amazon Associates program.
BOOKS
These books are smart. They’re real. They make sense. (And yes, the last one on the list is mine – so I’m biased, but I do love it.) Click the title links to order from Amazon and support the work of this site:
- The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and Food Rules – by Michael Pollan
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – by Barbara Kingsolver
- Master Your Metabolism – by Jillian Michaels
- Harvest For Hope – by Jane Goodall
- The End of Overeating – by David Kessler
- Fit By Nature – by John Colver with M. Nicole Nazzaro
WEB RESOURCES
Wise and wonderful thought leaders on nutrition, exercise, health, and preventive medicine.
- Mark Bittman – www.markbittman.com
- John Robbins – www.johnrobbins.info
VIDEO
The following videos are available to view at no cost on the Web – just follow the links. Instant inspiration!
- Ben Does Life. Amazing, inspiring, incredible. Start here if you’re looking for inspiration to make a total life transformation.
- Another Ben Feeds a Football Team. Very fun look at University of Wisconsin-Madison varsity football strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert, who taught his charges the value of good nutrition in a most unusual way.
- The Fun Theory. Journey to Sweden to see a fabulous example of making exercise fun, courtesy of Volkswagen.
Coming soon – even more great resources. Check this space often for updates.