Author: Karl Riecken

Recommended Reading: The Jungle Effect

There is no such thing as the traditional diet or the ancestral diet. There is only your ancestral, traditional diet. What food works well with our unique body chemistry (read: biochemistry, genetics, epigenetics, environment, etc.) is a complex puzzle. But, what this doctor discovered was that returning patients to the diet of their grandparents resulted […]

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Recommended Reading: Flow

This is absolutely essential for athletes–or truly any high performer–who wants to understand how to operate at peak performance. When we are absolutely engulfed in a project, in a training session, in a conversation, our psychology is different. Our biochemistry is different. We are in a flow state.

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Recommended Reading: Mastery

Robert Greene is known for innovative juxtaposing of classic literature and analytical application. Mastery is no exception. Remember that everything we hear has already been said before. Perhaps no one was listening the first time. Perhaps we simply need to hear it again in a different way. This book explores how true mastery really happens: […]

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Recommended Reading: Nourishing Traditions

No other cookbook occupies such an important space in my kitchen as this one. Truly, there are so many diet books out there, but the one common theme I see in so many of them is return to whole food prepared in a way that matches anthroposophic methods. This book is a needed companion to […]

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Recommended Reading: Peak

This book helped me to uncover the truth behind the “10,000-hour rule” for which Anders Ericsson receives credit. The science of expertise is so much deeper than that. Perhaps the most important parts of this exploration are in the lessons Dr. Ericsson imparts onto parents who want to raise children who understand the value of […]

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Recommended Reading: The Power of When

Our understanding of health and human performance took giant leaps forward when we started to appreciate our circadian rhythms. Michael Breus’ book The Power of When helps every one of us understand our own unique circadian rhythm. This is essential reading for my athletes so that we know not only how to program your yearly […]

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Recommended Reading: The Charisma Myth

In my mind, athletes are a special breed of high performers. It’s wonderful that you are accomplishing so many amazing and superhuman athletic feats. On the other hand, are you able to communicate with others? Do your insecurities keep you from engaging with the people you love? This book has taught me how to more […]

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Recommended Reading: Primal Body, Primal Mind

Nora Gedgaudas’s book has shaped my outlook on diet more than nearly any other book I’ve read on the subject. The depth to which she analyzes and synthesizes information about functional medicine and human nutrition kept me dog-earing and underlining constantly. Several of my athletes, employees, and friends have all benefited from this read. My […]

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