My non fiction reading trend continues. There is just so much to learn! I have also taken a liking to memoirs. Here are some of my favorite reads from 2017 and I would highly recommend you add them to your 2018 reading list.
1. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - If you don't know who Trevor Noah is, where have you been living? He's a comedian who took over the Daily Show. He's from South Africa so his background is much different than anyone I know born in the US or Canada. I laughed out loud so many times. He made scary, sad and downright uncomfortable situations funny. I finished the book in just two days. It's an easy read and really opens your eyes to how lucky my upbringing truly was.
2. The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Ruben - This was my most recent read and I'm obsessed. I'm now wondering what everyone's tendency is! I am a through and through upholder. This book has transformed the way I approach others, especially my students, patients and friends. I understand why others do or don't do certain things. She gives great examples of conversations she has had with others and well as ways to communicate with coworkers, spouses, children and patients or clients. It's also opened me up to new ways to approach how I look at the world and make decisions. You can't not learn something from this book. Plus, it's so easy to read, understand and relate to.
3. The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes - When it comes to nutrition research, Gary Taubes is killing it. I love all of his work. He practices what he preaches and does such an excellent job of explaining is work and findings in a way everyone can understand. If you're someone who needs legitimate reasoning and research to back up changes you want to make to your diet, this book will help you get there.
4. Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle - Are you ready to cry your eyes out? I don't cry very often and rarely cry during movies, but books just seem to hit me a little bit deeper and a few tears may fall. It doesn't matter who you are, you will, in some capacity, relate to this book. It will make you dig a bit deeper and understand all of your relationships a bit more. It is also a good reminder of, you're not in this alone. There are so many people in the world who are experiencing things similar to you. Grab a box of tissues, curl up with your tea and devour this beautiful read.
5. Unconventional Medicine by Chris Kresser - He's at it again! Chris is one of the best evolutionary nutrition researchers in the US. This is his most recent release. While I haven't read it yet (it's in the mail!), I am so, so, so looking forward to it. I've listened to many of his interviews on it and I think it's exactly what we need to hear right now. He inspired me to look into the diabetes statistics in Canada, too. According to Diabetes Canada, from 2010 to 2020 the number of Canadians living with diabetes is expected to rise by 1.7 million people bringing the grand total to 3.7 million, which will be 10% of the population. People with diabetes incur medical costs that are up to three times higher than those without diabetes. A person with diabetes can face direct costs for medication and diabetes supplies ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 per year. Overall, this will cost our country $3.1 billion in direct costs and another $13.8 billion in indirect costs. This even inspired me to do another nutrition workshop, but focus on chronic, preventable illnesses, like type II diabetes. Education is key and this book is paving the way.
I used Amazon links for all of the books above because it is a site that everyone is familiar with and I also receive a small kickback. Another site I love to use for buying books is called AbeBooks.com. They usually have the best prices and ship from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world. Also, these books are available at the library to rent for free! Happy reading!