For this week’s 5 Things Friday, I am sharing five books that have truly inspired me over the years because they have shaped the way I think about health, longevity, and the mind-body connection. Each one inspires me in my work and in my personal journey.
📖 Fasting Cancer (link)
by Valter Longo
I am fascinated with what fasting can do to our bodies. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to see or feel it directly, so I turn to the science to remind myself of its power. Valter Longo's book explores how fasting and fasting-mimicking diets can play a role in preventing and even treating cancer, grounded in decades of pioneering research.
📖 The Body Keeps the Score (link)
by Bessel van der Kolk
I truly believe the body stores pain and trauma, and reading this book gave me a deeper understanding of just how strongly mind and body are connected. This book digs into how trauma reshapes both body and brain, and how healing requires more than talk therapy.
📖 Healing Back Pain (link)
by John E. Sarno
It’s not the easiest book to get through, but it felt very relevant this year as I experienced lower back pain for the first time in my life. This book reframes chronic pain as a mind-body condition, showing how suppressed emotions can manifest physically.
📖 The Web That Has No Weaver (link)
by Ted Kaptchuk
This book was recommended by my acupuncturist and I wanted to deepen my knowledge about Chinese medicine before travelling to China soon. It's an elegant introduction that reveals a completely different way of understanding health, balance, and disease.
📖 Breath (link)
by James Nestor
This was the first book that really opened my mind about the power of breathing. I am fascinated by what you can achieve with "just" your breath and want to continue to deepen my practise so that it becomes a daily routine in my life. This book uncovers the forgotten science of breathing, showing how the simple act of how we inhale and exhale shapes our health, performance, and longevity.
