In recent years, though, I have been oddly steered through the last of those—human essence—through a chance encounter with Rick van den Pol, who runs the Institute for Educational Research and Service at the University of Montana. My work with Rick soon steered me to the seminal ideas of Bessel van der Kolk and then a chance meeting with John Ratey, van der Kolk’s good friend. I am indebted to all of these people, but especially to John, whose vast knowledge of the human brain and groundbreaking ideas on the importance of exercise and movement helped close the circle almost thirty years in the making. Throughout this process, he was inspirational and thoroughly patient with my meanderings and quixotic tendencies, not to mention he deftly corrected some of my more boneheaded and embarrassing errors of fact. He was broad-minded enough to partner with an unrepentant journalist, an ink-stained wretch, and I thank him for it.
My other major debt piled up during every day of the writing of this book and is really owed to a place, not some people—or, more to the point, to the people who preserve the place. During part—the most important part—of almost every day for the months of writing, I ran on a remarkable series of mountain trails that weaves the rim of the valley that holds Helena, Montana. This setting was crucial to the writing process, provided some scenes that appear in this book, and anchored the project in the wilds of the Northern Rockies. During a week John and I spent hammering through the edits on a first draft, we both hit these same trails every day together. The debt here accrues to the Prickly Pear Land Trust, a nonprofit in Helena that has taken it upon itself to acquire the land and easements and do the literal pick-and-shovel work that allows this system to exist and, in the process, makes Helena a biophilic city. Bless them.
This, however, is only a short chunk of trail compared to the long, twisted, and far more treacherous path stretching back to the point where I met a young woman named Tracy Stone, now my wife. Only she knows the full difficulty of the terrain leading to this point, because she has been with me every step of the way, and I couldn’t have done it without her. The true paradox here is that all of my other debts are trivial in comparison, yet this one is the easiest to bear.
About the Authors
JOHN J. RATEY, MD, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the author or coauthor of numerous best selling and groundbreaking books, including Spark, Driven to Distraction, and A User’s Guide to the Brain. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Los Angeles.
RICHARD MANNING is an award-winning journalist. He is the author of nine books, including Against the Grain and One Round River. His work has appeared in The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2010, Harper’s, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He lives in Helena, Montana.
Praise for John J. Ratey, MD, and Richard Manning’s
GO WILD
“A fascinating investigation into the power of evolutionary forces in our lives.”
—Jim Loehr, cofounder of Human Performance Institute and coauthor of The Power of Full Engagement
“Inspiring.… Though there are many other titles on the paleo diet and low-carb nutrition lists, readers will appreciate the considerable attention given to the importance of movement and discussion of research on the design of the human body.… Ratey and Manning urge readers to begin ‘a process of discovery’ into their own health—one that will surely benefit from using this book as a catalyst.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Lucid, forceful, and packed with fascinating, thought-provoking ideas and people.”
—Gabriel Cohen, Spirituality & Health
“Essential reading for anyone interested in unleashing the true power of human nature.”
—Tyler Graham, coauthor of The Happiness Diet
“A brilliantly creative synthesis of research and theory offering up a practical, playful, yet profound answer to that most basic question: how to live.”
—Edward M. Hallowell, MD, author of Shine
“For several decades, John Ratey has been one of the most creative thinkers in psychiatry, deepening our understanding of diagnosis and outside-the-box treatment options. Go Wild is a clear, sustained, fast-paced, utterly persuasive argument that much of our current distress and disease is the product of how the activities of regimented modern life estrange us from our biological needs, literally making us ill. It’s also about how to live to avoid this distress. Filled with fascinating details, and the palpable joy of the authors, who have found a way to break free from these restrictions, it’s also inspiring and will influence many to change the way they live for the better.”
—Norman Doidge, MD, author of The Brain That Changes Itself
“Go Wild is my new favorite read. This book visits many places, sightsees voraciously, organizes findings, and presents convincing proof of what we discovered while we were there.… Grab a copy and settle in for a thought-provoking, perhaps life-altering venture.… Like all good teachers, the authors tell stories; like good researchers, they generously cite resources; and like good scientists, they test their claims.”
—Linda Freeman, Times Argus
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Foreword by David Perlmutter, MD
Introduction
1. Human 1.0: Why Evolution’s Design Endures
2. What Ails Us: Not Disease but Afflictions
3. Food: Follow the Carbs
4. Nimble: Building and Rebuilding the Brain Through Movement
5. Bodies at Rest: Why Sleep Makes Us Better
6. Aware: What Is Revealed in the Wild Mind
7. Biophilia: Finding Our Better Nature in Nature
8. Tribe: The Molecule That Binds Us to One Another
9. Central Nerves: How the Body Wires Together Health and Happiness
10. Personal Implications: What We Did and What You Can Do
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Praise for John J. Ratey, MD, and Richard Manning’s Go Wild
Newsletters
Copyright
Copyright
This book is intended to supplement, not replace, the advice of a trained health professional. If you know or suspect that you have a health problem, you should consult a health professional. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, that is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.
Copyright © 2014 by John J. Ratey, MD, and Richard Manning
Foreword copyright © 2014 by David Perlmutter, MD
Cover design and illustration by Kapo Ng
Cover copyright © 2015 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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First ebook edition: June 2014
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ISBN 978-0-316-24607-1
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