The Books (and Voices) That Helped Shape How I Think About Health
Over the years, I’ve learned a lot from mentors, clinical training, and hands-on experience — but a surprising amount of inspiration and clarity has come from the pages of books. These resources helped shape my understanding of how the body works, how to live well for the long haul, and how to apply holistic principles to real people with real problems.
Below are some of the most impactful books and educators that have influenced how I approach health, longevity, nutrition, and performance — both in my personal life and with the patients I care for.
📘 The Big Book of Health and Fitness – Dr. Phil Maffetone
Written by a chiropractor who uses Applied Kinesiology and worked extensively with endurance athletes, this book was a game changer for me early on. It dives into the foundations of nutrition, stress management, and training the body in a way that supports metabolic health and fat-burning — not just performance.
While it’s a little dry at times, it’s packed with gold. I use the principles in this book daily with everyone from athletes to chronically sick patients. It’s helped me understand how to support long-term hormone health, improve recovery, and help people train smarter.
Dr. Maffetone also wrote The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing, which expands into the training aspects even further — great for athletes or practitioners who work with them.
📘 Deep Nutrition – Dr. Cate Shanahan
This book helped form my foundational philosophy around nutrition and healing. Dr. Shanahan breaks down the complex science of epigenetics, biochemistry, and ancestral eating in a way that’s both technical and practical.
She outlines four nutritional principles found in every healthy traditional culture:
Meat cooked on the bone (nose-to-tail eating)
Fermented and sprouted foods
Fresh, unprocessed plant and animal products
Organ meats
If you can get through the deeper science, the takeaways are profound: modern chronic illness stems largely from processed foods and nutrient-depleted diets, and returning to traditional food wisdom can change everything.
📘 Why We Sleep – Dr. Matthew Walker
This one truly changed the way I think about a good night's sleep — or lack thereof. Sleep isn’t just a pillar of health — it might be the foundation. Dr. Walker lays out some of the most compelling science I’ve ever read on how sleep affects nearly every system in the body. What really hit me was how even just one poor night of sleep can impair brain function, immune response, emotional regulation, metabolism, and more.
He also explores the ripple effect of sleep deprivation across society — from increased rates of chronic disease to car accidents and reduced workplace performance.
And no — you're not one of those rare people who “does fine” on five hours of sleep. According to the data, all of us need 7–9 hours of quality sleep to function at our best.
The big takeaway? When we get sleep right, it’s like unlocking a built-in superpower. It drives healing, recovery, energy, clarity, and long-term resilience.
📘 Born to Run – Christopher McDougall
One of my all-time favorites. This book is part adventure story, part exploration of human movement and endurance. It follows the journey of the author through Mexico’s Copper Canyon where he meets the Tarahumara — a tribe of ultra-endurance runners who cover hundreds of miles wearing homemade sandals.
It’s full of humor, fascinating evolutionary science, and one of the earliest pushes toward minimalist and barefoot running. A fun, insightful read that made me rethink everything about how we move.
📘 Born to Run 2
Years later, McDougall followed up with a practical guide on how to apply all the principles from the original book — a great complement for those who want to take action on what they learned.
📘 Your Genius Body – Dr. Andrew Rostenberg
Dr. Rostenberg has been one of my teachers in Applied Kinesiology and Functional Medicine, and this book reflects many of the same principles he teaches in person. One of the core ideas is that the body doesn’t make mistakes — it efficiently adapts to the inputs it’s given.
When someone shows up with 15 symptoms, the goal isn’t to chase 15 different diagnoses. It’s to step back, connect the dots, and uncover the 1–3 root causes driving everything. This approach has completely shaped how I work through complex cases.
The book is packed with protocols, insights, and real-life clinical applications. Whether you're a practitioner or someone wanting to take your health into your own hands, Your Genius Body is a powerful resource for learning how the body truly works — and how to help it heal.
📘 Outlive – Dr. Peter Attia
This book dives deep into the difference between lifespan (how long we live) and healthspan (how long we live well). One of my favorite concepts from Outlive is what Dr. Attia calls the Centenarian Olympics — asking yourself what you want to be able to do at age 80, 90, or 100… and then working backward to build the kind of life, habits, and training that get you there.
It also breaks down Medicine 2.0 (reactive, disease-focused care) vs. Medicine 3.0 (proactive, preventative, root-cause thinking), which fits right in with my philosophy as a root-cause practitioner.
🎙️ Podcasts & YouTube Channels That Keep Me Learning
▶️ Dr. Andrew Huberman, PhD
Dr. Huberman is one of my go-tos for understanding circadian rhythms, cold exposure, light, and sleep science. He presents complex neuroscience in a way that's digestible and applicable.
▶️ Dr. Peter Attia, MD
In addition to Outlive, his podcast dives deep into the topics of longevity, exercise, and metabolic health. His breakdown of how exercise is the most powerful longevity drug we have really stuck with me.
▶️ Knees Over Toes Guy (Ben Patrick)
Huge influence on how I view exercise and rehab for long-term health. He’s helped popularize the idea of "training strength through length" — combining flexibility and strength to reverse pain and train for function, not just appearance.
▶️ Dr. Jack Kruse, MD
Dr. Kruse is a neurosurgeon who shifted focus to circadian biology, light, and mitochondria after struggling with his own health. His story of losing over 100 lbs by focusing on light — not diet — is wild. His work gets deep fast, but his core message is powerful: proper light environment is medicine.
Final Thoughts
These books and voices have profoundly shaped how I think, how I practice, and how I live. Whether you’re a patient, a practitioner, or just someone trying to feel better and live longer, I highly recommend exploring a few of these.
If you’ve read any of them or have others to recommend, I’d love to hear about it. Shoot me a message or mention it at your next visit — I’m always adding to the reading list.
Until then, keep learning, stay curious, and take care of your amazing body.
— Dr. Ryan Gengler, DC
