100 books like Love Your Gut

By Megan Rossi,

Here are 100 books that Love Your Gut fans have personally recommended if you like Love Your Gut. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Shari Botwin Author Of Stolen Childhoods: Thriving After Abuse

From my list on healing after surviving past abuse experiences.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a childhood abuse survivor, author, and therapist, and I am always looking for books to help me better understand the crazy healing process. I have done over two decades of therapy and have been working with clients for over twenty-eight years. In addition, I serve as an expert witness on behalf of plaintiffs who have experienced different types of trauma. Educating myself and getting the perspective from other clinicians and experts has helped me be a better therapist and expedited my therapy process!

Shari's book list on healing after surviving past abuse experiences

Shari Botwin Why did Shari love this book?

This book, by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD (Viking, September 2014), a bestseller, is probably the most renowned book on childhood trauma. His book changed my life and the way I look at healing from childhood trauma. \

Bessel has received praise from laypeople and professionals for this highly readable book. In it, Kolk emphasizes how the brain understands trauma and how, through different strategies, the brain can rewire itself to filter out thoughts and feelings associated with trauma.

Neuro-feedback, mindfulness, yoga, and play are included in the book to give the reader different methods for how to change the way the brain holds onto trauma. I have raved about Kolk’s title and the authenticity of his writing.  

By Bessel Van Der Kolk,

Why should I read it?

19 authors picked The Body Keeps the Score as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 New York Times bestseller

"Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society." -Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies

A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestseller

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der…


Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Mindy Vail Author Of The MindShift Effect: Where Change Management is Redefined and Leadership is Refined

From my list on being authentic and empowered.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m Mindy Vail, and with over 25 years in education and change management, I’ve spent my career as a leadership consultant and keynote speaker. My passion for the book list I’ve put together comes from my work in guiding individuals and organizations through transformation and my dedication to helping others find their joy. Each book reflects my commitment to embracing change, nurturing leadership, and unlocking potential. My insights come from hands-on experience and a deep understanding of psychology, leadership, and personal growth, and I believe we are all ever-evolving in our journeys.

Mindy's book list on being authentic and empowered

Mindy Vail Why did Mindy love this book?

This one resonates with me because James Clear’s insights on the power of small, consistent changes align seamlessly with my approach to personal and professional growth. The book’s emphasis on how tiny adjustments can lead to significant, lasting transformation struck a powerful chord.

Clear’s focus on habit formation and mindset shifts reinforced my belief that incremental progress and intentional practices are essential for achieving meaningful change. Reading Atomic Habits inspires me to fully embrace the idea that even minor adjustments in behavior and thinking can have a profound impact on overall success and personal development. This has helped me in almost every aspect of my life.


By James Clear,

Why should I read it?

27 authors picked Atomic Habits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 4 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the…


Book cover of Eat Like a Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health

Sharad P. Paul Author Of The Genetics of Health: Understand Your Genes for Better Health

From my list on help you understand and take charge of your health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a skin MD, family physician, and an adjunct professor at the Auckland University of Technology. My peers awarded me the Ko Awatea International Excellence Award for Leading Health on a Global Scale for “improving management, education and patient-centered care internationally, across several countries.” I have often said, “One cannot have bad health and good skin” and therefore my interests are using skin, our only universal organ, to help us understand not only human health and wellness, but also issues that affect humanity such as the changing climate, pollution, aging, and skin color. I am a global citizen as I was born in England, grew up in India, and I now live in New Zealand.

Sharad's book list on help you understand and take charge of your health

Sharad P. Paul Why did Sharad love this book?

As I did in my book, this book uses evolutionary biology to explain how our diets and lifestyle impact our health. Ultimately it is not about the latest fad food or fancy diet, but understanding that the secret to becoming healthy, happy, and content is relearning how to eat like a human. Life has existed on Earth for 3.5 billion years, but modern human beings only migrated out of Africa 100,000 years ago, and yet our lifestyles bear no resemblance to that of our forebears. Here an archaeologist and chef explains how to follow our ancestors' leads when it comes to dietary choices and cooking techniques to achieve wellness. 

By Dr. Bill Schindler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Eat Like a Human as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Vegan or carnivore? Vegetarian or gluten-free? Keto or Mediterranean? Fasting or Paleo?

Our relationship to food is filled with confusion and insecurity. Every day we hear about a new ingredient that is good or bad, a new diet that promises everything. But the truth is that none of those labels matter. The secret to becoming healthier, losing weight, living a pain-free and energetic life and healing the planet has nothing to do with counting calories, reducing portion sizes or feeling deprived - the key is re-learning how to eat like a human.

This means finding food that is as nutrient-dense…


Book cover of The Body: A Guide for Occupants

Roy A. Meals Author Of Muscle: The Gripping Story of Strength and Movement

From my list on friend your body’s marvelous machines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been in love with biology since first playing with earthworms and marveling at the sprouting of radish seeds as a five-year-old. Further interest and curiosity led me to positions as nature counselor at summer camps and an eventual college degree in biology. Medical school was at times tedious, but the efficient, compact, durable mechanics of the musculoskeletal system totally engaged my interest. A residency in orthopedic surgery and a fellowship in hand surgery were natural follow-ons. My other passion is a love of teaching, taking a learner from where ever their understanding is presently and guiding them to what they need to know next. And they should have fun in the process.

Roy's book list on friend your body’s marvelous machines

Roy A. Meals Why did Roy love this book?

Now turning to the human body, Bryson continues his long tradition of combining loads of engaging, thoroughly researched information with ironic humor.

He dissects his subject system by system, starting with the normal structure and function of the skin and eventually moving to the “nether regions.” He follows with chapters on what can go wrong and what can go very wrong. Whereas other books focus on single systems, e.g., skeleton or gut, The Body is broader in its scope but understandably not so thorough.

For a single book to heighten a reader’s marvel and understanding of the human workings, this is the one.  

By Bill Bryson,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Body as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Bill Bryson, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything, takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body—with a new afterword for this edition.

Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body—how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Brysonesque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding…


Book cover of The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat

David Benton Author Of Tackling the Obesity Crisis: Beyond Failed Approaches to Lasting Solutions

From my list on understanding why you put on weight.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having studied diet and behavior for forty years, I realized that I had ignored obesity. However, after eventually considering the topic, I found that the actions of both politicians and the food industry had been spectacularly unhelpful. Why are so many people allowed to suffer? If politicians and the food industry are ineffective, there is a third group that could engineer change: the general public. It is scandalous that so many have been condemned to an early death following decades of ill-health. Something needs to change.

David's book list on understanding why you put on weight

David Benton Why did David love this book?

There is a saying, “ For every complex problem, there is a solution that is clear, simple, and wrong.” This view summarizes almost all attempts to control obesity. There has been a failure to acknowledge the multitude of risk factors for obesity and the large number of calories that need to be removed from the diet before obesity is beaten.   

I am, therefore, always delighted when simple views concerning obesity are shown to be mistaken. A fascinating book describes how bacteria in the gut influence the tendency to be slim or obese. You learn that if you eat the right food, you will have 100 trillion friends to help you stay slim.

By Tim Spector,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Diet Myth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'The Diet Myth is fascinating, and now I'm obsessed with microbes!' Nigella Lawson

Why do most diets fail? Why does one person eat a certain meal and gain weight, while another eating the same meal loses pounds? Why, despite all the advice about what to eat, are we all still getting fatter?

The answers are much more surprising - and fascinating - than we've been led to believe. The key to health and weight loss lies not in the latest fad diet, nor even in the simple mantra of 'eat less, exercise more', but in the microbes already inside us.…


Book cover of Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

Roy A. Meals Author Of Muscle: The Gripping Story of Strength and Movement

From my list on friend your body’s marvelous machines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been in love with biology since first playing with earthworms and marveling at the sprouting of radish seeds as a five-year-old. Further interest and curiosity led me to positions as nature counselor at summer camps and an eventual college degree in biology. Medical school was at times tedious, but the efficient, compact, durable mechanics of the musculoskeletal system totally engaged my interest. A residency in orthopedic surgery and a fellowship in hand surgery were natural follow-ons. My other passion is a love of teaching, taking a learner from where ever their understanding is presently and guiding them to what they need to know next. And they should have fun in the process.

Roy's book list on friend your body’s marvelous machines

Roy A. Meals Why did Roy love this book?

Should bookstores shelve Gulp in the Humor section or the Science section? Both.

With her usual comedic and eclectic approach to her subject, Roach ranges and rages through our digestive system end to end. She mixes plenty of real science with quirky and unexpected diversions headlined by chapter titles such as "Dead Man’s Bloat and Other Tales from the History of Flatulence Research"; "Up Theirs, The Alimentary Canal as Criminal Accomplice"; and "Stuffed, The Science of Eating Yourself to Death".

It’s informative. It’s fun. Worthy of digestion.

By Mary Roach,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Gulp as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"America's funniest science writer" (Washington Post) takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour. The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: the questions explored in Gulp are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff and every bit as surreal as the universe of zero gravity explored in Packing for Mars. Why is crunchy food so appealing? Why is it so hard to find words for flavors and smells? Why doesn't the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before your stomach bursts? Can constipation kill you? Did it kill Elvis? In Gulp we meet…


Book cover of Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ

Kirsten Jackson Author Of Take Control of your IBS: The step-by-step guide that actually works

From my list on gut health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated with the impact of gut health since becoming diagnosed with coeliac disease and IBS myself. As a registered dietitian, I was able to translate the complex science of gut health into a step-by-step format, which improved my symptoms, and I then went on to dedicate my career to this space and become a Consultant IBS Dietitian. I now run The IBS Dietitian, which is an online platform for people with IBS and includes online courses, a free podcast, and a book. One of the most important things you need to do to stay up to date with research in this area is to read.

Kirsten's book list on gut health

Kirsten Jackson Why did Kirsten love this book?

I have used this book as a reference to explain gut anatomy for the past 12 years; it is amazing for anyone wanting to understand how our gut works. It cleverly explains the complex anatomy and science behind each part but in an easy-to-understand format that does not require qualifications in this area.

By Giulia Enders, Jill Enders (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Gut as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Everything you ever wanted to know about the gut (and then some).”
—SELF

Discover the secrets of your digestive system—and how to hone a healthy gut—plus new research on the mind-gut connection.

With quirky charm, science star and medical doctor Giulia Enders explains the gut’s magic, answering questions like: What’s really up with gluten and lactose intolerance? How does the gut affect obesity? What's the connection between our microbiome and mental health? Why does acid reflux happen? In this revised edition of her beloved bestseller, Enders includes a new section on the brain-gut connection,…


Book cover of The Gut Stuff: An Empowering Guide to Your Gut and its Microbes

Kirsten Jackson Author Of Take Control of your IBS: The step-by-step guide that actually works

From my list on gut health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated with the impact of gut health since becoming diagnosed with coeliac disease and IBS myself. As a registered dietitian, I was able to translate the complex science of gut health into a step-by-step format, which improved my symptoms, and I then went on to dedicate my career to this space and become a Consultant IBS Dietitian. I now run The IBS Dietitian, which is an online platform for people with IBS and includes online courses, a free podcast, and a book. One of the most important things you need to do to stay up to date with research in this area is to read.

Kirsten's book list on gut health

Kirsten Jackson Why did Kirsten love this book?

I have watched in awe as the authors Lisa and Alana come to the gut health space from a very different place—they were originally part of a twin study which sparked a personal interest in the area. But over the years they have worked with experts in the area and this book really outlines so many gut-loving recipes that are easy to incorporate into anyone’s schedule.

By Alana Macfarlane, Lisa Macfarlane,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Gut Stuff as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'We became the 'chief guinea pigs' for the British Gut Project where we discovered that despite us having 100% the same DNA our guts have only 40% the same microbiota... Thus our 'gut journey' began.'

With practical advice throughout from gut experts, this is a fact-packed, achievable guide for better health.

With a foreword by Tim Spector. Alana and Lisa Macfarlane have spent the past few years interviewing tons of gut experts: scientists, academics, chefs and foodies to get the real scoop and science behind what we eat. We now know how important the gut is to our health and…


Book cover of The 30 Plan: Why eating 30 plants a week will revolutionise your gut health

Kirsten Jackson Author Of Take Control of your IBS: The step-by-step guide that actually works

From my list on gut health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated with the impact of gut health since becoming diagnosed with coeliac disease and IBS myself. As a registered dietitian, I was able to translate the complex science of gut health into a step-by-step format, which improved my symptoms, and I then went on to dedicate my career to this space and become a Consultant IBS Dietitian. I now run The IBS Dietitian, which is an online platform for people with IBS and includes online courses, a free podcast, and a book. One of the most important things you need to do to stay up to date with research in this area is to read.

Kirsten's book list on gut health

Kirsten Jackson Why did Kirsten love this book?

I love this book as it cleverly explains how we can optimize our gut by consuming 30 different plant sources per week, which research has shown to provide the optimal environment for our gut. I find this especially refreshing as often books focus on restriction in gut health, which is not what the research shows.

By Catherine Rabess,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The 30 Plan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'The ultimate guide and go-to book for all things gut health, written by an expert'
Rhiannon Lambert, BSc MSc RNutr, founder of Rhitrition

Revolutionise your gut health with this simple plan from an expert dietitian

Get on board with the 30 plant challenge! Gut health goes far beyond the stomach - it is linked to how your metabolism, brain and body functions, and even to your mental wellbeing. As much as 70 per cent of your immune system lives in your gut too, so getting it into optimal condition has never been more important.

The latest research shows that eating…


Book cover of The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health

Anne Biklé Author Of The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health

From my list on microbiomes, gut health, food, and farming.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been enamored with the natural world and how it works. This trait, among others, led me into the fields of biology, natural history, and environmental planning. Even as I witness our species chiseling away at the planet, I find hope and solace. Working alongside the tenacity and resiliency of plants, animals, and soil microbes, I've helped landscapes as large as a river basin and as small as a garden come to life and flourish. Give nature half a chance and she can do wonders.  

Anne's book list on microbiomes, gut health, food, and farming

Anne Biklé Why did Anne love this book?

Despite the complexity of how the brain, gut, and microbiome interact, Mayer covers the topic in a way that is readable and understandable.

I particularly liked his insights in explaining the gut as a sensory organ right up there with its digestive functions. After all, most of the immune system associates with the gut and the microbes that live there. It's an intimate relationship that also includes endocrine cells and a gut-dedicated nervous system.

So what's going on? The gut senses and surveils the human diet, passing along messages to our main brain and various other parts of our body. Whatever it is you eat, or however you characterize your diet, you'll learn what your gut thinks about it.  

By Emeran Mayer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mind-Gut Connection as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome, a practical guide in the tradition of Wheat Belly and Grain Brain that conclusively demonstrates the inextricable, biological link between mind and body. We have all experienced the connection between our mind and our gut-the decision we made because it "felt right"; the butterflies in our stomach before a big meeting; the anxious stomach rumbling when we're stressed out. While the dialogue between the gut and the brain has been recognized by ancient healing traditions, including Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, Western medicine has failed to appreciate the complexity of…


Book cover of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Book cover of Eat Like a Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,189

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the gastrointestinal tract, cooking, and diet?

Cooking 105 books
Diet 20 books