free resources

If you're curious about metabolic health, mental health, or an ancestral approach to wellness, these are some of the books, websites, videos, and educational resources I most often recommend.

This page is here for the naturally curious. Pick something that sounds interesting and start there.

And if you get to the point where you've learned all the things but still can't get traction, that's what I'm here for.

Sometimes more info just creates more clutter in your head. And even when you know what you want to do, it can still be hard to actually do it.

If it's not info you need, but direct support with habits, behavior change, implementation, problem-solving, creating a plan, and staying accountable to your goals, you're exactly the type of person who thrives with coaching.

So start here, and circle back if you need me! 

Books:

Brain Energy (Dr. Chris Palmer) — Dr. Palmer is a Harvard psychiatrist who became interested in the connection between metabolism and mental health after seeing patients improve with nutrition when conventional psychiatric treatment was ineffective. He argues that many psychiatric symptoms are deeply tied to how the brain produces and uses energy. (Part science, part framework for understanding why body and brain health are inseparable.)

Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind (Dr. Georgia Ede) — Dr. Ede is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist who became interested in nutrition after her own health challenges led her to question conventional nutrition advice. She explains how modern foods can influence anxiety, depression, attention, and other aspects of mental health, then walks through dietary approaches that support a healthier brain. (Science-heavy, but includes practical application.)

Metabolical (Dr. Robert Lustig) — Dr. Lustig is a pediatric endocrinologist and Professor Emeritus at UCSF who spent decades treating children with obesity and metabolic disease. In this book, he explores how processed food and sugar hijack our metabolism, and why "calories in, calories out" doesn't tell the whole story. (More conceptual, heavier on the science and systemic critique than day-to-day how-to.)

The Primal Blueprint (Mark Sisson) — Mark Sisson is a former elite endurance athlete and one of the pioneers of the modern ancestral health movement. He presents a blueprint for eating, moving, and living in alignment with our human biology, built around whole foods from nature. (Lays out the "why" behind an ancestral perspective, then translates it into concrete daily guidelines.)

End Your Carb Confusion (Dr. Eric Westman) — Dr. Westman is an obesity medicine physician and researcher who has spent decades treating patients and conducting clinical trials using low-carbohydrate nutrition. He makes a clear, medically grounded case for low-carb eating and walks readers through how to get started. (Practical, straightforward, and highly actionable.)

Stay Off My Operating Table (Dr. Philip Ovadia) — Dr. Ovadia is a board-certified cardiac surgeon who’s performed over 3,000 heart surgeries, but would much rather keep people off his operating table. After losing over 100 pounds and transforming his own health, he started focusing on prevention as the best medicine. He explains why cardiovascular disease is often the result of metabolic dysfunction rather than simply elevated cholesterol, and how to eat for the best heart health possible. (Short, practical, and surprisingly easy to read.)

A Mind of Your Own (Dr. Kelly Brogan) — Dr. Brogan studied medicine at Cornell and completed her psychiatric training at NYU. After her own experience with Hashimoto's disease led her to question conventional approaches to chronic illness, she became interested in the connections between nutrition, lifestyle, and mental health. In this book, she challenges conventional assumptions about mental health and chronic illness, encouraging you to question what you've been told, think for yourself, and take ownership of your healing. (Part personal story, part provocative exploration of nutrition, mental health, and self-ownership.)

Education Websites:

Mark's Daily Apple (marksdailyapple.com) — A long-running blog on ancestrally-informed, whole-food living, from nutrition to movement to lifestyle. (Some posts are conceptual deep-dives, others are actionable how-tos.)

Lily Nichols RDN (https://lilynicholsrdn.com) — Lily Nichols is a registered dietitian nutritionist, diabetes educator, and author of Real Food for Pregnancy, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, and Real Food for Fertility. Her articles combine rigorous research of women's health topics with practical application, often challenging conventional nutrition assumptions while making complex topics easy to understand. (Evidence-based, nuanced, and excellent for anyone who enjoys digging deeper into nutrition science, yet still accessible and practical.)

Food and Recipe Websites: 

Diet Doctor (dietdoctor.com) — A free library of low-carb guides, meal plans, recipes, and educational articles. Great for when you're looking for a quick answer, a beginner's guide, or a new dinner idea. 

Nom Nom Paleo (nomnompaleo.com) — A source of simple, approachable recipes focused on real, whole foods. Michelle Tam makes healthy eating easier and more enjoyable.

YouTube Channels: 

Nick Norwitz MD PhD — Nick Norwitz majored in cell biology and biochemistry. He earned his PhD in Human Metabolism from the University of Oxford and completed his MD at Harvard Medical School. During his training, he was plagued by inflammatory bowel disease that completely resolved with an unconventional nutritional approach, igniting his passion for nutrition science and metabolic health. He brings intellectual rigor to complicated and often controversial questions. His motto: Stay curious.

Metabolic Mind — A nonprofit educational project that explores the connection between metabolism and brain health. Features interviews with researchers, psychiatrists, clinicians, and people using metabolic therapies for mental health conditions.

Documentaries:

The Cholesterol Code — A documentary exploring cholesterol, cardiovascular risk, metabolic health, and the ongoing scientific debate surrounding conventional cholesterol testing and statins as the main line of defense against heart disease. Featuring researchers, physicians, and patients, it examines how insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction may provide a more complete picture of cardiovascular risk than cholesterol levels alone. 

Fat Fiction — A documentary that explores the history of dietary fat recommendations, the rise of obesity and chronic disease, and the scientific debates surrounding low-fat versus low-carb nutrition.

Podcasts:

Low Carb MD Podcast — Interviews with clinicians, researchers, and experts covering nutrition, metabolic health, obesity, and chronic disease.

The Metabolic Mind Podcast — Focused on the emerging science connecting metabolism and mental health.