Over the last few months I have spent a lot of time walking around with NutritionDog, staying 6 ft. away, earbuds in, soaking up pretty much all the books and podcasts I could.
This week I wanted to share with you a few things that I have been listening to and learning from over the past few weeks. It’s an eclectic list ranging from health to anti-racism to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Hopefully you find something new to listen to on your road trip, getting in your steps or as an alternative to the constant news scroll.
Reading
Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
This book was written by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. While in office, he found that loneliness was as dangerous to our health as smoking, and much more common. This book was released in April so he adds in a forward specific to the pandemic and social distancing as well as talks specifically about political division in our country. I found this book extremely hopeful and actionable and it really underlined the power of connection. If health is your priority, this topic is perhaps the most important and least discussed. I also loved his interview with Brene Brown on her Unlocking Us podcast.
The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest
I talked about this book in a recent blog, because I really feel that the philosophies are extraordinarily relevant to pandemic life (you can find it here). Basically, Dan Buettner studied pockets of people with exceptional longevity to understand how they have such long and vibrant lives. The communities are spread all throughout the world so there are no genetic or environmental silver bullets. However, there are a lot behavioral similarities (which you know I loved!). You can also check out my blog for a summary or watch his TEDTalk.
Watching
I couldn’t love this movie more! It is a documentary about a couple that essentially leaves their life in LA to start a farm. Their dream is to create a sustainable farm that has both produce and livestock and allow nature to work in the way it was intended. This contrasts with most current mono-crop farms, which specialize in only one product. I love this film because it shows the health and environmental benefits of plants and animals nourishing each other. It also shows how so much of what we first interpret as disaster ultimately turns out to be exactly what they needed. I watched it for free on Hulu but it can be rented from most streaming services.
Anti-Racism for Wellness Professionals: How to Show Up Better
This live class is now available for replay. I loved Chrissy’s direct approach and really feel that this course would be just as helpful to people outside of the wellness industry. She goes into how racism impacts our health on every level and specific things you can do to begin to ally and create change. There is also an extensive Q&A at the end. You can find out more about Chrissy and get links to her articles featured in Self, Shape, etc. on Instagram @iamchrissyking.
Listening To
Tiny Leaps Big Changes: How to Get Back on Track
This podcast is about how the impact of our tiny behaviors can have on our lives – and if you remember my Salada Tea slogan Small Steps can Lead to Big Changes, you know why I love it! This episode specifically, talks about how to get back on track when you are feeling overwhelmed…which I think a lot of us can relate to right now!
Unlocking US: Brene on Shame & Accountability
In this episode, Brene Brown talks about how accountability is a prerequisite for change and how there is a difference for feeling shame when are you are held accountable vs being shamed as a way to force change. Specifically, she is talking about anti-racism and Black Lives Matter, however I believe that these skills can be applied to every area of our current national growth. In addition, most of the wellness industry (and our well-intended family members) motivates by fear and shame. If you have been on the receiving end of that, this episode highlights why it not only feels terrible but also doesn’t work. If you liked this episode I also recommend her interview with Ibram X Kendi on how to be an anti-racist.
This might seem like an odd ball, but if you know me you know that I am a BIG music lover. This was recommended to me by my dear friend Danielle and I loved every minute of it. In this episode Malcom Gladwell and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers sits down to talk about Flea’s memoir. If you think that Malcom Gladwell and Flea are a weird combo – I did too. If you think that Flea was nothing more than a spastic kid with a bass – I did too. I was wrong on both counts! This is a fun listen…and we can’t be learning about health and personal growth all the time 😊
