Great Books to Help You Eat Healthier and Live Better
I had a man asked me on Instagram about my education. He was hoping to educate himself on a healthy lifestyle and wanted to know where I had learned about food and cooking. Well, I have a Bachelors of Science in Physiology from the University of Wyoming (Go Pokes!) and I am an American Council on Exercise certified Health Coach. These are a great foundation, but I am constantly trying to learn as much as possible about nutrition, cooking, and in general a healthy lifestyle. So I put together a list of them and I decided to make a blog post out of it so I could share it with you too!
Honestly, I listened to most of these on Audible. I love audio books and find it easier to listen while driving or cooking, than finding time to sit down to read. (Audible is part of Amazon)
For all of these books and Kitchen Essentials, I use almost every day, check out my Amazon Shop!
Habit Change Book
First things first, if you are trying to change your habits I HIGHLY recommend Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
Who For
ANYONE wanting to change ANY habit.
Why
Gretchen is a genius and has amazing insight into the nature of people. She separates people into 4 Tendencies. Once you know yourself better, you will understand which strategies will and will not work for you. I love this strategy because it doesn’t waste time trying to change you as a person, but finds simple ways to change your habits.
If you have a second take her Four Tendencies Quiz. It only takes a minute and it will give your great insight. I’m a Questioner:)
Basic Diet Books
Who
Food, What the Heck Should I Eat by Dr. Mark Hyman is great for people that want to take the first step into healthy eating, but don’t want to get overwhelmed.
Why
Dr. Hyman does a great job covering the how, what, and whys of healthy eating in a way that is easy to understand. This is a good first read to dip your toes into the Paleo Diet
Who
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson if for everyone.
Why
This is one of three books I recommend by Mark and is a great overview of the primal lifestyle. It is easy to understand. Mark is a smart former pro triathlete turned jacked-old-man-killer-businessman, so who doesn’t want to be more like him? I also really like his balanced message and think it is really sustainable.
Who
Deep Nutrition by Dr. Catherine Shanahan is great for people looking to take a little deep look into diet and how it interacts with your genes. She dapples in epigenetics
Why
Dr. Shanahan works with the LA Lakers to make sure their diet is in tip-top shape so her suggestions are probably good enough for you. She pretty much recommends the Paleo diet but cames to it from her own conclusions using her background as an M.D. She is pro Bone Broth:)
Who
Death By Food Pyramid by Denis Minger is for anyone interested in why the food pyramid is dead wrong.
Why
I like this book because it talks about the political history and science behind the food pyramid and terrible government dietary guidelines. I’m a sucker for non-fiction and history is always interesting (as well as the science).
Next Level Books
Who
Wired to Eat By Robb Wolf is for people wondering why they love to eat junk food so much. The second half of the book will appeal to people that want to geek out on their blood sugar and how different foods affect them.
Why
Robb is a former biochemical researcher so his geeky science side really appeals to me, but he also does a great job explaining things well for people that don’t have a science background. He leans towards the paleo/keto side of things.
Who
Own the Day by Aubrey Marcus if for people looking to take it to the next level.
Why
Aubrey is borderline a biohacker and this book goes through the perfect day. It is a good read and let’s face it, as another ripped, kick-ass businessman he must know what he is talking about.
Who
Nourishing Broth by Sall Fallon Morell (author of Nourishing Traditions) is for people that love Bone Broth as much as I do.
Why
Bone Broth is amazing and everyone should consume it.
Who
Primal Endurance by Mark Sission and Brad Kearns is for anyone interested in training for endurance sports but not willing to sacrifice their health or balanced lifestyle for it.
Why
Both Mark and Brad were professional triathletes and really know their stuff. They are fans of the Maffetone Method.
Who
The Wahls Protocol by Dr. Terry Wahls is for anyone that is interested in their mitochondria, which should be everyone. This book is especially important with people with MS or other autoimmune diseases.
Why
Dr. Wahls has an amazing story. She has MS and was in a tilt-recline wheelchair but was able to heal her body to the point she is now able to take long bike rides, all with diet!. Check out her TedTalk!
On a very personal note, My mom had MS and later died from Breast Cancer. I really wish I knew about her protocol when my mom was still alive. I really take to heart her guidelines in my meal plans now and wish everyone with MS know about her protocol.
Who
Paleo Principles by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne is for people that and a deep dive into the Paleo diet.
Why
This book is great for people looking for the textbook on the Paleo diet. It is very science heavy but Dr. Ballantyne does a good job making it understandable. There are also recipes in this book, ok most of the books I recommend have some recipe.
Keto Books
Who
The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson and Brad Kearns is for anyone looking to transition into the keto diet without the “keto flu”.
Why
I read this book when I decided I needed to get fat adapted for my sheep hunt and it was a huge success. I like that Mark and Brad are not dogmatic about a ketogenic diet and encourage consuming vegetables.
Who
Keto Quick Start by Diane Sanfilippo is another good option for people looking to start the keto diet.
Why
I like Dian’s balanced approach to things and she can really cook. I wasn’t sure if I should put this with the other keto books or cookbooks.
Cookbooks
Who
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon is for anyone looking to eat like their great grandmother. People who want to incorporate grains, beans, and dairy into their diet and are willing to put in the time and effort to prepare them correctly to get the most out of them, should read this book.
Why
Sally is the founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation and is all about sprouting grains and bean and raw milk.
Who
The Wild Kitchen by Wilderness Athlete is a great cookbook for everyone.
Why
These cookbooks are very practical and full of healthy recipes, some containing wild game but most do not.
Who
The Meateater by Steven Rinella is for hunters that need to cook all the meat in their freezer.
Why
Steve knows how to cook and write and is very passionate about both. What more could you ask in a cookbook author? He is not into “healthy recipes”, but game meat, naturally, is really healthy.
Who
Paleo Perfected by America’s Test Kitchen is for anyone trying to cook Paleo.
Why
America’s Test Kitchen does not half-ass cooking. They take their job really seriously, and you know each one of their recipes has been meticulously tested and will work every time.
E-Books
Is it weird if I put my own book on this list? I worked really hard on 10 Minute Meal Prep. I truly believe it will help you eat healthier while saving time and money.
Who
10 Minute Meal Prep by me is for anyone who is short on time but wants to meal prep. All the recipes are low-carb and keto friendly, but anyone could enjoy them.
Why
This E-book has 10 “recipes” for meals I make all the time that only take 10 minutes or less to prep. The dinners take additional cooking time (slow cooker, sheet pan, or stovetop), but can be prepared ahead of time so once you get home from work, dinner is either ready or almost ready.
I am a huge fan of meal prepping and it can save you time and money while making it easier to eat healthily.
Hope this helps. Let me know if I have missed any you think should be on this list. I will try to keep it updated with the books I read.
Join my Facebook Book Club if you are interested in reading these or other books like them, and discussing them with like-minded people.
To see more of my adventures and Paleo-ish/ Mostly Low-carb food, follow me on Instagram or Facebook!
*Wild and Well Fed is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program (and other affiliate programs). While this does not add any cost to the consumer it helps Gina continue to work on this blog. She only provides links to things she thinks will help you or you might really like. Thanks for the support!
About Gina
Gina Shively is a Personal Health Cook and American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified Health Coach located in Anchorage Alaska. Her background includes a Bachelor’s of Science in Physiology from the University of Wyoming. For the past six years, she has lived in Alaska, where she can’t get enough of the active Alaskan lifestyle that for her includes hunting, fishing, hiking, and the occasional weekend race. She loves to cook for people and enjoys the challenge of making healthy food taste delicious. Her family includes two young boys, two packgoats, and a rambunctious Weimaraner, as well as a very patient husband.