Last updated December 31, 2025
There’s value in reading for good health
Choosing nourishment is about far more than what’s on your plate. From connection and community to movement and mindset, there are so many things that can nourish your body well.
One way I support continuous learning and growth is through reading. Whether you found this directly on Substack or from somewhere else, my guess is you enjoy reading to! It’s incredible how words on a page can transform you to completely new place, allowing you to experience emotions and potentially even have a shift in perspective.
While this isn’t a comprehensive list of everything I’ve ever read (but wouldn’t that be cool!), these are some of my favorite reads both on Substack and books that have made an impact in my life.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books. I hope you enjoy!!1
Health & wellness book and articles
Meredyth Fletcher’s The (Good) Food Solution: A Shame-Free Nutritional Journey to Food Freedom, Spiritual Nourishment, and Whole-Body Health — To show up well, we have to eat well so we can be well. This book did a phenomenal job of sharing the impact that nutrition has on our bodies! Not only does it give a thoughtful approach to how to focus on nourishment, but it also provides it all through the lens of how the Lord created it to be. Our bodies are resilient and were designed to take in nutrients from whole, natural foods. There are also plenty of whole, real foods that are packed with nutrients - fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. What a good reminder that each of us has all the tools within us to eat well, be well, and to show up well.
Erin Nystrom’s You Were Lied to About Exercise - A great reminder that incorporating movement into your daily life is not about dieting or burning calories, but supporting a healthy body.
Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA’s Why Your Cholesterol Is High (Even If You’re Eating Right) - A new perspective on what’s going on inside your body when it comes to your health, this article breaks it down in a very digestible format.
jenny minney’s You are stronger than you realize - Encouragement to do the hard things, to take the leap of faith, and to step outside of your comfort zone.
Emma Lovewell’s Live Learn Love Well: Lessons from a Life of Progress Not Perfection — With an emphasis of progress over perfection, Emma shares personal stories and anecdotes to give a better perspective on what she has learned through the years. She is a phenomenal story-teller, providing the reader with just enough information to get her point across in a positive way. I was inspired by Emma’s emphasis on continuing to learn and grow in everything you do in life. I highly recommend this read!
Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles’ Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life — Reading through IKIGAI, I gained the inside scoop on what the Japanese thriving elderly are doing so they can show up well every single day. From morning exercises to enjoying time in community, fueling their bodies with nourishing foods, and enjoying the mundane of life without too many worries; they are doing something right. The chapter on flow state was most intriguing, emphasizing how you can unlock this new level of productivity to do better work more enjoyably. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention there were some fascinating stats when it came to health and the negative impact that something as small as sitting for too long can have on our over all health.
Carrie Underwood’s Find Your Path
Dr. Casey Means’ Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health
Food & cookbook favorites
Ina Garten’s Be Ready When the Luck Happens — Ina’s way of storytelling had me flipping through the pages faster than I could enjoy a chocolatey dessert like the decadent brownies she shares in her memoir. Her stories on going after opportunities and working hard to build something were inspiring, especially for my entrepreneurial spirit. As someone building a platform around food & health, I am quite intrigued by Ina and how she leveraged her love for food to break into the hearts and lives of many. Highly recommend this read!
Julia Child’s My Life in France — If you loved Ina Garten’s memoir, you’ll love this read. Julia Child seems like quite the woman, cooking and writing and recipe testing all the time. I’m inspired by her dedication to a project and how she didn’t quit until it was a success. Kudos to her! May we all learn a thing or two from how she carried herself.
Nicole Johnsey Burke’s Leaves, Roots & Fruit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planting an Organic Kitchen Garden — The exact guide I needed to get my home garden started. Now, I’m growing lettuce, kale, Bok choy, herbs, flowers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and more!
On creativity
Jenna O'Brien’s On Becoming Resilient in Your Creativity - More words of encouragement on the power of being resilient and continuing to pursue creative endeavors, learning and growing along the way.
Austin Kleon’s Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative and Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
Simplicity & intentional living
Jodi Wilson’s on editing books and life - Writings on slowing down and creating space to support you well in this life.
Kate Strickler’s I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy (Small Habits and Mindset Shifts to Find Contentment and Joy in Life) - So much truth and goodness about how to fight comparison and be content with the life you are already living.
My favorite faith-based reads
Jen Wilkin’s None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us
Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love
Growth & mindset books
Dan Heath’s Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen
Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory
Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality
Michiko Aoyama’s What You Are Looking for Is in the Library
Katharina’s Maybe It’s the Vineyard - A reflection on incorporating portions of your dreams into your everyday life, driven by the question “What would you do if money wasn’t a thing.”
Fictional favorites
Christina Lauren’s Paradise Problem
Carley Fortune’s One Golden Summer — If you need a summer read, I highly recommend this one! A sweet romantic comedy set on a small lake town, this story reminded me of simple joys that make up summer: swimming, cooking a meal with loved ones, enjoying the outdoors, arts & crafts, and celebrating with friends for every occasion.
Kristin Hannah’s The Women — I am continually impressed by the way Kristen unfolds a story, pulling heart strings and drawing us in, before wrapping it all up in a beautiful closing. I highly recommend this book, amongst many of Kristen’s other books. A great start to the year for books!
Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy
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