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Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization
The scientific evidence behind why maintaining a lifestyle more like that of our ancestors will restore our health and well-being.
In Go Wild, Harvard Medical School Professor John Ratey, MD, and journalist Richard Manning reveal that although civilization has rapidly evolved, our bodies have not kept pace. This mismatch affects every area of our lives, from our general physical health to our emotional wellbeing. Investigating the power of living according to our genes in the areas of diet, exercise, sleep, nature, mindfulness and more, Go Wild examines how tapping into our core DNA combats modern disease and psychological afflictions, from Autism and Depression to Diabetes and Heart Disease. By focusing on the ways of the past, it is possible to secure a healthier and happier future, and Go Wild will show you how.
In Go Wild, Harvard Medical School Professor John Ratey, MD, and journalist Richard Manning reveal that although civilization has rapidly evolved, our bodies have not kept pace. This mismatch affects every area of our lives, from our general physical health to our emotional wellbeing. Investigating the power of living according to our genes in the areas of diet, exercise, sleep, nature, mindfulness and more, Go Wild examines how tapping into our core DNA combats modern disease and psychological afflictions, from Autism and Depression to Diabetes and Heart Disease. By focusing on the ways of the past, it is possible to secure a healthier and happier future, and Go Wild will show you how.
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First published January 1, 2014
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About the author
John J. Ratey
20 books309 followersDr. Ratey and Dr. Hallowell began studying ADHD in the 1980s and co-authored Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood (1994), the first in a series of books that demystify the disorder. Dr. Ratey also co-authored Shadow Syndromes (1997) with Catherine Johnson, PhD, in which he describes the phenomenon of milder forms of clinical disorders.
Dr. John J. Ratey, M.D., is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has a private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
from johnratey.com
Dr. John J. Ratey, M.D., is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has a private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
from johnratey.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
June 15, 2014
I won a free copy of this book as a First Reads giveaway. My opinion, as always, is entirely my own.
I was quite excited to get my copy of Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization; in fact, I opened it immediately and read it in two sittings (with a dog walk between the two.) Overall, I found this book to be both fascinating and frustrating, and some chapters were definitely better than others.
The authors discuss different aspects of modern life that are out of sync with the way traditional hunter-gatherers, and presumably our paleolithic ancestors, seem to live. Diet, exercise, sleep, community, mindfulness and affinity to nature are some of the topics discussed. Many of the studies and researchers they mention are quite thought-provoking, and I will probably track down more information on them in the future. I especially liked the chapters on sleep, which pointed out that people often sleep in groups in tribal societies, so our modern habit of sleeping alone in an isolated room isn't "normal." (Giving me an argument for why I sleep with my dogs!) "Aware" and "Biophilia," about meditation and nature, were also quite interesting.
I was a bit peevish about the lack of endnotes or references, however, especially as a lot of what was mentioned is hardly definitive. The words "argues," "suggests" and "may" appear again and again as the authors draw conclusions, because these seem like intriguing, preliminary studies for the most part. The information seemed a bit rushed or jumbled at times, too, everything from the joys of trail running to PTSD to monogamous voles to whether or not injecting birthing mothers with Picotin might be harmful and on and on. At times, I felt the writers were a bit sloppy as they waded through this deluge. I'm not saying it wasn't interesting--most of it is--but I wasn't that convinced of their scholarship.
The two weakest chapters, in my opinion, were about food and exercise. Their advice on food is basically to follow a low-carb diet, period. (Don't eat sugar. Don't eat grains. Eat low-carb.) While the huge volume of processed sugar and junk food carbs inundating the modern diet are clearly unhealthy, I wasn't convinced that we should therefore all avoid grains. All of them. Just cause they said so and referenced Gary Taubes a few times. First of all, scary language like "glucose is toxic" tends to get my dander up. Really? Toxic? Hmmm, the Okinanwans seem to thrive on their diet full of white rice. And people can nitpick Ancel Keys' conclusions all they want, but I never read that the Mediterranean diet was unhealthy, just that he ran too far with it. They eat carbs and live to tell the tale.
I'm sure that low-carb eating works for many people, but I know from experience that it does not work for me. (I eat a largely paleo-type diet with lots of veggies, eggs and moderate portions of meat, but I also include white potatoes, white rice and the occasional serving of beans in there, too. Eating this way keeps me thin, fit and active. If I cut carbs beyond that, I feel like crap.) I honestly believe there are many variations on a healthy diet, so reading such didactic, one-size-fits-all advice made me crabby.
I would certainly recommend this book as a collection of food for thought about what might (or might not) be involved in the healthiest lifestyle. If you're a stickler for citations, though, you'll be frustrated.
I was quite excited to get my copy of Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization; in fact, I opened it immediately and read it in two sittings (with a dog walk between the two.) Overall, I found this book to be both fascinating and frustrating, and some chapters were definitely better than others.
The authors discuss different aspects of modern life that are out of sync with the way traditional hunter-gatherers, and presumably our paleolithic ancestors, seem to live. Diet, exercise, sleep, community, mindfulness and affinity to nature are some of the topics discussed. Many of the studies and researchers they mention are quite thought-provoking, and I will probably track down more information on them in the future. I especially liked the chapters on sleep, which pointed out that people often sleep in groups in tribal societies, so our modern habit of sleeping alone in an isolated room isn't "normal." (Giving me an argument for why I sleep with my dogs!) "Aware" and "Biophilia," about meditation and nature, were also quite interesting.
I was a bit peevish about the lack of endnotes or references, however, especially as a lot of what was mentioned is hardly definitive. The words "argues," "suggests" and "may" appear again and again as the authors draw conclusions, because these seem like intriguing, preliminary studies for the most part. The information seemed a bit rushed or jumbled at times, too, everything from the joys of trail running to PTSD to monogamous voles to whether or not injecting birthing mothers with Picotin might be harmful and on and on. At times, I felt the writers were a bit sloppy as they waded through this deluge. I'm not saying it wasn't interesting--most of it is--but I wasn't that convinced of their scholarship.
The two weakest chapters, in my opinion, were about food and exercise. Their advice on food is basically to follow a low-carb diet, period. (Don't eat sugar. Don't eat grains. Eat low-carb.) While the huge volume of processed sugar and junk food carbs inundating the modern diet are clearly unhealthy, I wasn't convinced that we should therefore all avoid grains. All of them. Just cause they said so and referenced Gary Taubes a few times. First of all, scary language like "glucose is toxic" tends to get my dander up. Really? Toxic? Hmmm, the Okinanwans seem to thrive on their diet full of white rice. And people can nitpick Ancel Keys' conclusions all they want, but I never read that the Mediterranean diet was unhealthy, just that he ran too far with it. They eat carbs and live to tell the tale.
I'm sure that low-carb eating works for many people, but I know from experience that it does not work for me. (I eat a largely paleo-type diet with lots of veggies, eggs and moderate portions of meat, but I also include white potatoes, white rice and the occasional serving of beans in there, too. Eating this way keeps me thin, fit and active. If I cut carbs beyond that, I feel like crap.) I honestly believe there are many variations on a healthy diet, so reading such didactic, one-size-fits-all advice made me crabby.
I would certainly recommend this book as a collection of food for thought about what might (or might not) be involved in the healthiest lifestyle. If you're a stickler for citations, though, you'll be frustrated.
September 29, 2014
John Ratey (Harvard Medical School Professor) wants us to "Go Wild" to find a healthier/happier lifestyle. But what does "Go Wild" mean?
- sleep 8.5 hours per day and go to bed at 10:00
- Eat no refined sugar. Eat less than 50 carbs per day. And absolutly no fruit juices. If there is one take away from this book--stop drinking any type of "sugar water." Sugar is a toxin that starts the insulin cascade and eventually more fat storage. Get your calories from fat, cheese, meet, nuts..and eat as much of that as you want. Don't diet--just eat differently.
- Get outside & Get moving. Trail running-or hiking is exercise squared! Make it simple. Miminal shoes. Short gate--with no heal strike. But do try this on pavement.
- Get out in the Sun for 30 minutes to get your needed Vitamin D.
- We should stop calling Hypertension and Type II Diabetes diseases...they are self inflicted injuries due to sedentary lifestyle and poor diets. These "diseases" don't exist in African and South American tribes that have not adopted Western Lifestyles
- Anthropology shows we were born to run..and far. Our arches of our feet and long achilles tendons are made for this. Early humans averaged at least 10 k of running per day.
- Be around nature even if in the city. Patient's in hopsitals heal 40% faster if they have a window that can see a tree or a plant inside their room.
- We are designed to be meat eaters. We don't have the long extended guts that cattle have that can digest and utilize grass.
4 Stars. Very readable!
- sleep 8.5 hours per day and go to bed at 10:00
- Eat no refined sugar. Eat less than 50 carbs per day. And absolutly no fruit juices. If there is one take away from this book--stop drinking any type of "sugar water." Sugar is a toxin that starts the insulin cascade and eventually more fat storage. Get your calories from fat, cheese, meet, nuts..and eat as much of that as you want. Don't diet--just eat differently.
- Get outside & Get moving. Trail running-or hiking is exercise squared! Make it simple. Miminal shoes. Short gate--with no heal strike. But do try this on pavement.
- Get out in the Sun for 30 minutes to get your needed Vitamin D.
- We should stop calling Hypertension and Type II Diabetes diseases...they are self inflicted injuries due to sedentary lifestyle and poor diets. These "diseases" don't exist in African and South American tribes that have not adopted Western Lifestyles
- Anthropology shows we were born to run..and far. Our arches of our feet and long achilles tendons are made for this. Early humans averaged at least 10 k of running per day.
- Be around nature even if in the city. Patient's in hopsitals heal 40% faster if they have a window that can see a tree or a plant inside their room.
- We are designed to be meat eaters. We don't have the long extended guts that cattle have that can digest and utilize grass.
4 Stars. Very readable!
July 17, 2014
"Go Wild" gets my award for the best mind/body/spirit book of 2014 (so far). I previously enjoyed John Ratey's "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain." Then, after hearing both authors on a podcast, I picked up Richard Manning's "Against the Grain: How Agriculture Has Hijacked Civilization," which was absolutely mind-blowing (simultaeously depressing and inspiring).
"Go Wild" combines the best elements of those previous books and exceeds them, providing practical guidance on diet, exercise, mindfulness, and more.
Of the many great anecdotes, one stands out to me: earlier in their evolutionary history, koala bears ate a diverse diet and had larger brains. Later, they specialized on one food source and took up a sedentary lifestyle munching on eucalyptus leaves. Without the need to move around and search for food, their brains were a waste of metabolic energy, so they began to shrink. Today, koalas have tiny brains rattling around in oversized craniums.
Don't be a koala. Read this book.
"Go Wild" combines the best elements of those previous books and exceeds them, providing practical guidance on diet, exercise, mindfulness, and more.
Of the many great anecdotes, one stands out to me: earlier in their evolutionary history, koala bears ate a diverse diet and had larger brains. Later, they specialized on one food source and took up a sedentary lifestyle munching on eucalyptus leaves. Without the need to move around and search for food, their brains were a waste of metabolic energy, so they began to shrink. Today, koalas have tiny brains rattling around in oversized craniums.
Don't be a koala. Read this book.
January 4, 2022
I'm a vegetarian who prefers the barre method over cross-fit, and while I agreed with the advice about connecting to nature, endurance running IS hard on the back, knees, joints, etc. My father does hip and knee replacements for runners all the time and I understand that there may be a way to run that's lower impact--it's not for everyone. Also, you can be totally healthy on a plant based diet. Anyone who doesn't agree should read Crazy Sexy Kitchen or Radical Remission.
August 25, 2015
This book should be required reading for everyone on the planet who thinks the way we live is okay. That being said, I really liked this book on it's own merits and not just because I already believe in it's message. It wasn't preachy or gimmicky... it's not trying to sell a workout or accompanying recipe book. It uses actual science to show what we are doing to ourselves on a daily basis and then suggests we may do something to help ourselves. Definitely thought provoking and a kick in my ass to keep trying to do better.
May 3, 2014
As always, John Ratey gives fascinating insight into the brain. In this case, he and journalist Richard Manning provide a valuable overview of how civilization has altered the way we eat, think and move. He presents a compelling argument for returning to a more natural way of living, and provides scientific-based reasons to do so. Great read!
May 24, 2022
Human 1.0
I wanted to give this book more stars, however there was a severe lack of sources and citations for further reading in this book, which isn't good practice in my opinion (unless I happen to be missing something regarding where such sources may be).
This does have some interesting and insightful advise regarding how to consider one's diet, exercise routine, sleeping methods, as well as understanding how we are wired biologically to deal with stress and danger. I'd further praise the authors for focusing on how to develop ones praxis once intergrating said methods into ones life.
I'd recommend this to Anarchists or those sceptical with 'self-help'/ 'diet' books.
I wanted to give this book more stars, however there was a severe lack of sources and citations for further reading in this book, which isn't good practice in my opinion (unless I happen to be missing something regarding where such sources may be).
This does have some interesting and insightful advise regarding how to consider one's diet, exercise routine, sleeping methods, as well as understanding how we are wired biologically to deal with stress and danger. I'd further praise the authors for focusing on how to develop ones praxis once intergrating said methods into ones life.
I'd recommend this to Anarchists or those sceptical with 'self-help'/ 'diet' books.
February 16, 2017
I know there are many things wrong with the way we eat and live in our society, but I just couldn't help but feel that the whole "Civilization disease" argument was an easy and flat one, to try to sell the idea of a fad diet (Paleo) and a fitness regime (Crossfit) and an endurance activity (Trail running). I recently did a trail ultramarathon, so I did like the part, but I know that activity is not for everybody, and I think it is a different experience for eveveryone,, to some people it could (as the book says) make them more aware of our surroundings and connected with their primal instincts, but for others it may be boring, stressful or an exhausting activity.
I do think people should eat less processed food, be more phisically active and have a generally less stressful lifestyle by being more in contact with nature. But the central argument is that you should do so, because we need to be more like our hunters/gatherers ancestors in the paleolithic era, before agriculture had somehow spoiled our perfect lives, and that we should only eat the things they ate, even when we are not even sure what that was and it is simply impossible to do so because those foods have evolved through agriculture and domestication into much richer and adapted sources of nutrients for humans, let alone the changes in ideology, morality and ethics that have made people like me become vegetarian not for health issues, but issues that paleolithic humans wouldn't ever be able to understand (it is hard to understand for people even in this era).
Although I found most things in this book a little bogus I will try to take some advise from it, like eat less processed foods, specially products with added sugar, maybe I will try meditation although I have tried it before and it does little for me, and I will continue practicing long distance running in the woods.
I do think people should eat less processed food, be more phisically active and have a generally less stressful lifestyle by being more in contact with nature. But the central argument is that you should do so, because we need to be more like our hunters/gatherers ancestors in the paleolithic era, before agriculture had somehow spoiled our perfect lives, and that we should only eat the things they ate, even when we are not even sure what that was and it is simply impossible to do so because those foods have evolved through agriculture and domestication into much richer and adapted sources of nutrients for humans, let alone the changes in ideology, morality and ethics that have made people like me become vegetarian not for health issues, but issues that paleolithic humans wouldn't ever be able to understand (it is hard to understand for people even in this era).
Although I found most things in this book a little bogus I will try to take some advise from it, like eat less processed foods, specially products with added sugar, maybe I will try meditation although I have tried it before and it does little for me, and I will continue practicing long distance running in the woods.
September 7, 2015
Another nearly useless self help book. Really enjoyed the first chapter which introduced some new (to me) thoughts and ideas on evolution and food. The authors refer to many books then don't include a bibliography, that just seems disrespectful and lazy.
September 19, 2021
Romantic primitivism cloaked in dubious science. That a behavior aided species reproduction doesn’t mean it aids health.
May 7, 2024
FIRST READ: One of the best nonfiction books I've ever read. The idea is that humans are wild animals, and for all the trappings of civilization we wrap ourselves in, we're still running the old jungle OS. We're primitive creatures with primitive drives trying to force ourselves into the shape demanded by a modern world, and it's making us fat, sick, and crazy.
The concept is a sort of natural expansion of Freud's suggestion from Civilization and its Discontents, but less pseudoscientific and quacky. Freud said we're animals. So did the Bloodhound Gang, in their seminal 1999 treatise "Bad Touch". According to Siggy, the root of all neurosis is our superego trying to cram our id into the acceptable conduct box, so We might continue to Live In A Society.
Ratey says the same thing in more modern and empirical terms. Evolution programmed us over the last couple million years to exercise constantly, socialize constantly, eat huge quantities of fats, and maintain a state of mindfulness (which is just awareness of our surroundings so we don't get eaten by bears). Our stress was immediate, and faded as soon as the danger was gone.
Flash forward to the present day. The most physically fit among us exercise seven or eight hours a week. We live in privacy boxes with immediate family or a couple roommates, who we tend to avoid because of how stressful talking to people at work or school is. Most of what we eat is corn and sugar. We don't have time to be aware of our surroundings due to the constant hyperstimulus beaming a stream of shining blue data from the attention-hog computer we keep in our pockets, directly into our frontal lobes. We are mad at our computers because someone said something WRONG about VIDEO GAMES on the INTERNET, and we maintain a constant high-boil of cortisol because the tried and true tactic of "sprint until you escape" doesn't work on student loan debt.
The answer? Knock it off.
The first book I read by Ratey was Spark, which changed the way I looked at exercise. I've always been obsessive about it (I tend to be hyperactive to a point just south of mania, Jackie Chan snap-kicking out of bed a few seconds before my alarm goes off), but I didn't realize the effect it has on mental health and hormone profile. Most of what ails you, regular exercise will cure. Present research suggests that in trials for treatment of depression, anxiety, and ADHD, daily cardio worked as well or better than medication in terms of treatment. So naturally, that's what they lead with in Go Wild: get off your ass and get your heart pumping, remind your body it's alive.
Then comes groundbreaking life advice like "Zebra Cakes aren't dinner", "Sleep regularly", and "Talk to people you like, in real life".
I'm doing it a disservice with the pithy summary, but it's an amazing book, and one I took my time reading because I didn't want it to be over.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECOND READ:
Read it again. I was right the first time, although now that I'm older and wiser I can recognize some of the reaching Ratey did in the last few chapters. A lot of the evidence was anecdotal there and instead of providing sources or studies he was like, "Try it! You'll like it!"
I also found myself getting a little defensive when he talked about his other psychiatrist friend who insisted that PTSD therapy didn't work and qualified it as "yakking". So how do you resolve a lifetime of the collected, complex trauma from childhood physical and sexual abuse? Just go ahead and dance it right out. Join a Zumba and all those scars will evaporate. Oh, and slam down a handful of these super special drugs every day, of course.
I was going to write "get fucked, van der Kolk", but in googling what the hell his name actually is I found out that he initially formulated the PTSD diagnosis and has been researching it for 50 years. He's an authority, and pretending I know better based on my own anecdotal treatment experiences would be disingenuous, especially considering how often I push physically active coping skills on my clients.
The bleedover is van der Kolk tends to focus on ritualized movement methods within cultures like dancing, shamanic and wildly boolin' religious practices (Shaker/Quaker style), and ancient Greek theater. A lot of these things included elements of psychotherapy right in them. Catholic confession is the most on-the-nose example, but exercises like shamanic soul retrieval have persisted largely unchanged into modern psychotherapeutic practice, so maybe our man has a point. I'll give you this round, van der Kolk, and I'll read The Body Keeps the Score someday.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READ:
I forgot I reread this once already. Whoops. It's still great. I've integrated van der Kolk's perspective and I'm still a huge proponent of physical activity as psychological treatment, but you gotta yak it out, my guy. The story needs told and when you dig up all the scores that the body is keeping, that's when you dance it out. We can use a little bit of everything here. That's what humans are for. We're generalists.
The concept is a sort of natural expansion of Freud's suggestion from Civilization and its Discontents, but less pseudoscientific and quacky. Freud said we're animals. So did the Bloodhound Gang, in their seminal 1999 treatise "Bad Touch". According to Siggy, the root of all neurosis is our superego trying to cram our id into the acceptable conduct box, so We might continue to Live In A Society.
Ratey says the same thing in more modern and empirical terms. Evolution programmed us over the last couple million years to exercise constantly, socialize constantly, eat huge quantities of fats, and maintain a state of mindfulness (which is just awareness of our surroundings so we don't get eaten by bears). Our stress was immediate, and faded as soon as the danger was gone.
Flash forward to the present day. The most physically fit among us exercise seven or eight hours a week. We live in privacy boxes with immediate family or a couple roommates, who we tend to avoid because of how stressful talking to people at work or school is. Most of what we eat is corn and sugar. We don't have time to be aware of our surroundings due to the constant hyperstimulus beaming a stream of shining blue data from the attention-hog computer we keep in our pockets, directly into our frontal lobes. We are mad at our computers because someone said something WRONG about VIDEO GAMES on the INTERNET, and we maintain a constant high-boil of cortisol because the tried and true tactic of "sprint until you escape" doesn't work on student loan debt.
The answer? Knock it off.
The first book I read by Ratey was Spark, which changed the way I looked at exercise. I've always been obsessive about it (I tend to be hyperactive to a point just south of mania, Jackie Chan snap-kicking out of bed a few seconds before my alarm goes off), but I didn't realize the effect it has on mental health and hormone profile. Most of what ails you, regular exercise will cure. Present research suggests that in trials for treatment of depression, anxiety, and ADHD, daily cardio worked as well or better than medication in terms of treatment. So naturally, that's what they lead with in Go Wild: get off your ass and get your heart pumping, remind your body it's alive.
Then comes groundbreaking life advice like "Zebra Cakes aren't dinner", "Sleep regularly", and "Talk to people you like, in real life".
I'm doing it a disservice with the pithy summary, but it's an amazing book, and one I took my time reading because I didn't want it to be over.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECOND READ:
Read it again. I was right the first time, although now that I'm older and wiser I can recognize some of the reaching Ratey did in the last few chapters. A lot of the evidence was anecdotal there and instead of providing sources or studies he was like, "Try it! You'll like it!"
I also found myself getting a little defensive when he talked about his other psychiatrist friend who insisted that PTSD therapy didn't work and qualified it as "yakking". So how do you resolve a lifetime of the collected, complex trauma from childhood physical and sexual abuse? Just go ahead and dance it right out. Join a Zumba and all those scars will evaporate. Oh, and slam down a handful of these super special drugs every day, of course.
I was going to write "get fucked, van der Kolk", but in googling what the hell his name actually is I found out that he initially formulated the PTSD diagnosis and has been researching it for 50 years. He's an authority, and pretending I know better based on my own anecdotal treatment experiences would be disingenuous, especially considering how often I push physically active coping skills on my clients.
The bleedover is van der Kolk tends to focus on ritualized movement methods within cultures like dancing, shamanic and wildly boolin' religious practices (Shaker/Quaker style), and ancient Greek theater. A lot of these things included elements of psychotherapy right in them. Catholic confession is the most on-the-nose example, but exercises like shamanic soul retrieval have persisted largely unchanged into modern psychotherapeutic practice, so maybe our man has a point. I'll give you this round, van der Kolk, and I'll read The Body Keeps the Score someday.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READ:
I forgot I reread this once already. Whoops. It's still great. I've integrated van der Kolk's perspective and I'm still a huge proponent of physical activity as psychological treatment, but you gotta yak it out, my guy. The story needs told and when you dig up all the scores that the body is keeping, that's when you dance it out. We can use a little bit of everything here. That's what humans are for. We're generalists.
March 25, 2015
Go Wild was written by Dr. John Ratey and Richard Manning. I’m a Manning fan, and I was hoping for a book with rhythms similar to the writing of Tom Brown, Richard Nelson, or Jay Griffiths — work rooted in a spiritual connection to the family of life. Our current path is a dead end. If Big Mama Nature decides to let two-legged animals have a future, the key to survival is returning to a path of reverence, respect, and balance, like our ancient African ancestors lived.
Be aware that Go Wild does not take you on a fascinating tour of wild cultures. The authors did not live with wild people, or interview any. The book will not thoroughly erase your cultural programming and make you wild and free, nor will it transform you into a wild hunter-gatherer, shaman, sorcerer, or medicine woman.
The book’s subtitle is “Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization.” But most of the major afflictions of civilization are not targeted — automobiles, television, cell phones, computers, education, wage slavery, materialism, submitting to masters. Despite this omission, the book does provide interesting discussions about a variety of lesser-known afflictions.
Go Wild is a self-help book that offers many suggestions for eating better and living better. Sugar is poison. Shun grains, including whole grains, and avoid all other foods rich in carbohydrates — bananas, honey, potatoes, organic fruit juice, and so on. It’s far healthier to get your calories from fats. Run regularly, outdoors, not on a treadmill. Sleep 8.5 hours every night. Avoid artificial light. Forge tribe-like bonds with your marathon-running buddies. Practice meditation to revive your mindfulness, contentment, and joy.
Go Wild is primarily a science book, based on a Cartesian mindset that perceives living beings to be amazingly complex biochemical machines. Two-legged animals raised in civilizations are severely damaged biochemical machines, and this book is an up-to-date shop manual for do-it-yourself backyard mechanics. It’s about tuning up your brain and body for maximum performance, so you’ll remain happy, sharp, and fit well beyond 100, maybe 200.
Readers are introduced to a parade of medical doctors, biologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, paleoanthropologists, and other assorted researchers who discuss their big discoveries. Hot topics include oxytocin, vasopressin, cortisol, phytoncides, telomeres, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, homeostasis, allostasis, dopamine, dyslipidemia, epigenics, and lipoproteins.
Folks who seriously follow some or all of the suggestions in this book will have a decent chance of experiencing genuine benefits. Being raised in civilization causes many injuries, some of which can be healed, and many that cannot. This book is likely to appeal to millions of pudgy, unhappy, poorly nourished, sleep deprived, stressed out, walking dead, well-educated professionals who are looking for ways to improve their health and wellbeing.
Be aware that Go Wild does not take you on a fascinating tour of wild cultures. The authors did not live with wild people, or interview any. The book will not thoroughly erase your cultural programming and make you wild and free, nor will it transform you into a wild hunter-gatherer, shaman, sorcerer, or medicine woman.
The book’s subtitle is “Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization.” But most of the major afflictions of civilization are not targeted — automobiles, television, cell phones, computers, education, wage slavery, materialism, submitting to masters. Despite this omission, the book does provide interesting discussions about a variety of lesser-known afflictions.
Go Wild is a self-help book that offers many suggestions for eating better and living better. Sugar is poison. Shun grains, including whole grains, and avoid all other foods rich in carbohydrates — bananas, honey, potatoes, organic fruit juice, and so on. It’s far healthier to get your calories from fats. Run regularly, outdoors, not on a treadmill. Sleep 8.5 hours every night. Avoid artificial light. Forge tribe-like bonds with your marathon-running buddies. Practice meditation to revive your mindfulness, contentment, and joy.
Go Wild is primarily a science book, based on a Cartesian mindset that perceives living beings to be amazingly complex biochemical machines. Two-legged animals raised in civilizations are severely damaged biochemical machines, and this book is an up-to-date shop manual for do-it-yourself backyard mechanics. It’s about tuning up your brain and body for maximum performance, so you’ll remain happy, sharp, and fit well beyond 100, maybe 200.
Readers are introduced to a parade of medical doctors, biologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, paleoanthropologists, and other assorted researchers who discuss their big discoveries. Hot topics include oxytocin, vasopressin, cortisol, phytoncides, telomeres, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, homeostasis, allostasis, dopamine, dyslipidemia, epigenics, and lipoproteins.
Folks who seriously follow some or all of the suggestions in this book will have a decent chance of experiencing genuine benefits. Being raised in civilization causes many injuries, some of which can be healed, and many that cannot. This book is likely to appeal to millions of pudgy, unhappy, poorly nourished, sleep deprived, stressed out, walking dead, well-educated professionals who are looking for ways to improve their health and wellbeing.
August 14, 2014
First Reads Giveaway. Given that my husband is a devout Paleo/ Robb Wolf fan (and has indoctrinated me), and I've read the referenced "Born to Run," I didn't learn anything particularly enlightening. Ratey provides solid advice on how to eat, sleep, manage stress, and exercise. No fads or self-help garbage; it's simply a compelling case to get back to a more natural holistic state.
January 9, 2023
Though not a fan of so much evolution talk woven throughout the book, there is a lot of great stuff in here. I think I would go with 3.5 if I could. I may come back and change it to a 4 when I realize it kept me thinking and pondering its contents. I love the ideas on nutrition, movement, and our human connection to nature and each other.
March 23, 2022
Wowwww!
I was expecting something else. To go wild, this books incorporates everything I either do or search.
It is full of facts, researches, information and experience.
I am really telling everyone about this book.
I was expecting something else. To go wild, this books incorporates everything I either do or search.
It is full of facts, researches, information and experience.
I am really telling everyone about this book.
February 22, 2020
This book is full of great information backed by extensive research. The premise is simple: look at the world the way it was when humans were evolving (in other words, in the time before agriculture), and make choices about what we eat and how we live our lives based as much as possible on the realities of our lives back then. The authors provide ample evidence that many of our modern afflictions, from heart disease to obesity to depression, (among dozens of others) can be substantially mitigated by making changes to the way we eat, move, sleep, and relate to one another. I was especially intrigued with the chapter on nutrition, which clearly explained the role of sugar and fat in our diets and how they impact our cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels. The book also discussed the difference between free range or wild caught meat and that which is farm-raised. I thought the explanations were clear and thorough, without getting too bogged down in tedious detail. There was also some great insight into the ways that exercise impacts our brain, and the cognitive and emotional benefits of being out in nature.
I've found myself recommending this book to everyone around me because I think the information and advice it contains is worth knowing, even if you don't necessarily agree with all of it. Fascinating stuff and highly recommended!
I've found myself recommending this book to everyone around me because I think the information and advice it contains is worth knowing, even if you don't necessarily agree with all of it. Fascinating stuff and highly recommended!
April 26, 2017
THIS BOOK IS GREAT.
I recommend this book for everyone who lives in a first-world country. We often fail to take our biological history into account when we consider health and wellness. This guy has written a well-researched and fantastically-presented piece here, most of which is so obvious that it is hidden from us in plain sight.
Seriously, anyone who takes medication for anything, has body pain, has cancer, depression, fatigue, feels burnt out, obesity, and a plethora of other problems should read this book. There's a good chance your problem is addressed between these covers.
The road to wellness starts with one step. Read this book.
I recommend this book for everyone who lives in a first-world country. We often fail to take our biological history into account when we consider health and wellness. This guy has written a well-researched and fantastically-presented piece here, most of which is so obvious that it is hidden from us in plain sight.
Seriously, anyone who takes medication for anything, has body pain, has cancer, depression, fatigue, feels burnt out, obesity, and a plethora of other problems should read this book. There's a good chance your problem is addressed between these covers.
The road to wellness starts with one step. Read this book.
June 8, 2016
Great integration of lifestyle health factors and why they work backed by recent science from many different fields. Top book of 100 that I've read this year. That said, I don't agree with everything and it is a bit disjointed in a few places. However, the enthusiasm of the authors and their ability to integrate many different aspects, sometimes in unique ways is inspiring. Many people are offering health recommendations but I am not aware of anyone else who has been able to integrate as many pieces, supporting it with research. Thanks for broadening and connecting my horizons!
November 1, 2021
Recommended by high school biology teacher, pretty stellar read. Title sounds a bit goofy but this book looks at how we've evolved to run, be outside, eat low-carb diets, practice mindfulness (or awareness, as if a lion could attack you at a moment's notice) and sleep well. The brain chemistry and nervous system breakdowns are digestible and Ratey and Manning are both avid runners which made this book very relatable.
May 22, 2017
I have read many different books, about mental health, health, self help, exercise, eating regimes and this book has taken a completely raw approach and has simplified how we should be taking life on.
I will be recommending this book endlessly.
Great read.
I will be recommending this book endlessly.
Great read.
September 23, 2015
Simple. Scientific but not dense. Easy Read. Highly Recommend. Great book for health, well-being, and avoiding depression.
February 28, 2019
Read this to think about things in a more rounded view. Answers to modern problems are usually more in depth than a surface pill problem. Meaning, you can't just take a pill to fix your problems, you truly need to look from multiple aspects of your life to find healing and joy. Understanding how we are in modern times, and realizing that just because we are this way doesn't mean we should be. We aren't always right. Let yourself be humbled with this book.
January 21, 2021
They make some really bold claims but bold doesn’t mean wrong.
December 31, 2020
This book made me want to change. It makes quite a compelling case for how aspects of civilization are literally killing us--our food, our inactivity and our belief we should go, go, go, as well as how some of the "expert advice" is quite poor and goes against our nature. All these things are leading to massive physical and mental health problems.
It was very academic. I feel like I should have earned a couple of credits after I was done.
The evolutionary aspect was very interesting and the discussion of how our bodies are programmed for survival. Many of the things we do today are in contrast to what we need.
Some take aways:
-Much of today's parenting advice is terrible. The one that stuck out to me the most is how we force our children away from us (i.e.-babies sleeping away from parents). We are programmed to want to be together, especially the young and vulnerable. That's where we found safety. U.S. culture instead has this obsession with pushing independence far too young, when it will naturally come at the adolescent stage.
-Eat less sugar. This is the one that I really need to work on and since reading this I've noticed how much of what we eat is drenched in sugar.
-Eat food that makes you feel good and stick with what is natural. Our processed food is terrible. It made me look at the grocery store differently, even though I already knew this.
-There's no perfect, one size fits all "diet". Different things work for different people, but go more natural or wild in what you eat.
-Move! We were made to move. It benefits us physically and mentally. We have not been programmed to sit on a couch or an office chair all day. Any kind of movement is good.
-Get outside. We need it.
-Sleep. It's probably the most underrated, but extremely important task that we need to live and we are often constantly putting it last on our lists of priorities. I've taken some naps and not felt guilty about it. It also talked about how it can be natural to wake up in the middle of the night for a few hours. Rough when you have a job to go to or things the following day. I wake up in the middle of the night often and usually make myself anxious trying to go back to sleep which further delays it. Historically this middle of the night wake up was used to think or socialize. I've started telling myself it's okay and to just use that time to think and now I go back to sleep sooner and it's not a restless worrisome sleep.
In conclusion, lots of great advice for healthy living with interesting insights as to why these methods help us. It has inspired change in me even though I knew or have heard many of these things before.
It was very academic. I feel like I should have earned a couple of credits after I was done.
The evolutionary aspect was very interesting and the discussion of how our bodies are programmed for survival. Many of the things we do today are in contrast to what we need.
Some take aways:
-Much of today's parenting advice is terrible. The one that stuck out to me the most is how we force our children away from us (i.e.-babies sleeping away from parents). We are programmed to want to be together, especially the young and vulnerable. That's where we found safety. U.S. culture instead has this obsession with pushing independence far too young, when it will naturally come at the adolescent stage.
-Eat less sugar. This is the one that I really need to work on and since reading this I've noticed how much of what we eat is drenched in sugar.
-Eat food that makes you feel good and stick with what is natural. Our processed food is terrible. It made me look at the grocery store differently, even though I already knew this.
-There's no perfect, one size fits all "diet". Different things work for different people, but go more natural or wild in what you eat.
-Move! We were made to move. It benefits us physically and mentally. We have not been programmed to sit on a couch or an office chair all day. Any kind of movement is good.
-Get outside. We need it.
-Sleep. It's probably the most underrated, but extremely important task that we need to live and we are often constantly putting it last on our lists of priorities. I've taken some naps and not felt guilty about it. It also talked about how it can be natural to wake up in the middle of the night for a few hours. Rough when you have a job to go to or things the following day. I wake up in the middle of the night often and usually make myself anxious trying to go back to sleep which further delays it. Historically this middle of the night wake up was used to think or socialize. I've started telling myself it's okay and to just use that time to think and now I go back to sleep sooner and it's not a restless worrisome sleep.
In conclusion, lots of great advice for healthy living with interesting insights as to why these methods help us. It has inspired change in me even though I knew or have heard many of these things before.
October 5, 2016
This book recommends a philosophy or approach to life rather than a particular diet or exercise regimen. The theory makes sense and is backed by lots of good scientific research. The book also manages to be an enjoyable read with interesting bits of evolutionary history and just a few personal anecdotes for each topic. The book did have some flaws of course. I was annoyed by some stylistic choices, especially the multiple instances of words to the effect of, "More on that later!" There was also quite a bit of repetition in the book, some by design, but far more than necessary in my opinion. I thought the chapter on Central Nerves was the weakest, both in terms of quantity and quality of content and also clarity of writing, so it is unfortunate that is the last chapter before the final Person Implications chapter tying everything together.
Still, lots of great, useful information here. I should definitely make changes in my own life, and I will. Really. Any day now. Seriously . . .
Still, lots of great, useful information here. I should definitely make changes in my own life, and I will. Really. Any day now. Seriously . . .
November 25, 2020
This books is just... really the emotion you're getting from me is a deep sigh. It reads—and I'll be generous here—like a long graduate student paper. You can pick up that vibe within the first few pages when the authors speak of "Native American" proverbs, excursions to "Africa" (never a country in particular), the problematic idea of calling people "wild" vs. "tame" (which they recognize and dismiss as basic SJW such, in so many words)—I could go on. This isn't science writing, it's a term paper by an enthusiastic barefoot runner on the keto diet. There are better books on this topic.
May 19, 2020
If you are willing to wade through the somewhat tedious research there are gems to be unearthed. A good refresher of our evolutionary journey melds with the importance of eating healthy food, staying or getting active, maintaining good sleep habits, the importance of spending time in nature, socializing with your tribe and engaging mindfully to improve the quality of health and well being.
February 15, 2023
Listen this was alright. The science is fascinating and I know that there is a right way to live healthy understanding said science. It's just extremely boring, and as a Christian it is so hard to get behind the full connection to evolution as a source of self.
January 4, 2015
I enjoyed this book. Its too soon to say but I think it will change my life.
August 8, 2018
Absolutely loved it! Plan to read it again right away.
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