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Educational Materials for All
Dr. Merlo's Recommendations for
Blogs, Movies, Websites,
Books, and Documentaries


Nutrition & Diet
Books
Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., M.D.: "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure"
Michael Greger, M.D. and Gene Stone: "How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease"
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II, M.D.: "The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health"
Scott Stoll MD: Alive! A Physician's Biblical and Scientific Guide to Nutrition
Doug Lisle, PhD: The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health & Happiness
Dean Ornish, M.D.: "The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer, Lose Weight, and Gain Health"
Neal Barnard, MD: Your Body In Balance
Joel Fuhrman, M.D.: "Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss"
Rip Esselstyn: "The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds"
John Robbins: Healthy At 100
Chef AJ: Unprocessed
Alona Pulde, M.D., Matthew Lederman, M.D., and Marah Stets: "The Forks Over Knives Plan: How to Transition to the Life-Saving, Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet"

Documentaries
Eating You Alive, 2024
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, 2010
Forks Over Knives, 2011
Websites
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Pivio Lifestyle Medicine Institute
Ardmore Institute of Health — Full Plate Living
​Lifestyle Medicine — Patient Resources
​Lifestyle Medicine — Nutrition as Medicine
​


Physical Activity & Exercise
Books
ACSM's Essentials of Youth Fitness
The Lifestyle Medicine Handbook: An Introduction to the Power of Healthy Habits
ACSM's Nutrition for Exercise Science
Medical Fitness Association’s Standards & Guidelines for Medical Fitness Center Facilities (Third Edition)
ACSM's Complete Guide to Fitness & Health
The Eccentric Solution: An Orthopaedic Prescription for Muscular Health
Websites
George Washington University Medical Faculty — Lifestyle Medicine: Physical Activity
Muscle and Strength — Exercise Routines
Ace Fitness — Exercise Database
Nutrition.gov — Exercise & Fitness
James M. Rippe M.D. — Physical Activity and Lifestyle Medicine
Mayo Clinic — Exercise & Stress
Harvard Health Publishing — Exercising to Relax
American College of Sports Medicine — Education and Resources

Stress Management
Books
Sister Dang Nghiem MD: Mindfulness as Medicine: A Story of Healing Body and Spirit
Dr. Pamela E. Butler: Talking To Yourself
​Anthony Robbins: Awaken the Giant Within
Amit Sood MD: The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress Free Living
Brene Brown PhD: Rising Strong
Robert M. Sapolsky: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers
Earl Hipp: Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens
Herbert Benson, MD: The Mind/Body Effect: How to Counteract the Harmful Effects of Stress
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee: The Stress Solution
Gabor Maté, MD: When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress
Aditi Nerurkar, MD: The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience
Elaine N. Aron, PhD: The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You
Wendy Suzuki, PhD: Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion
Documentaries​​​
Stressed, 2019
Stress: Portrait of a Killer, 2008
The Healing Within, 2006
Free the Mind, 2012
From Stress to Happiness, 2020
One Nation Under Stress, 2019
Websites & Apps


Substance Use Harm Reduction
SAMHSA’s National Helpline:
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Books
Sheila P. Vakharia, PhD: The Harm Reduction Gap: Helping Individuals Left Behind by Conventional Drug Prevention and Abstinence-only Addiction Treatment
Susan E. Collins, PhD & Seema L. Clifasefi, PhD: Harm Reduction Treatment for Substance Use
Patt Denning, PhD, Jeannie Little, Adina Glickman: Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide for Managing Drugs and Alcohol
Jennifer Fernandez, PhD: Power Over Addiction: A Harm Reduction Workbook for Changing Your Relationship with Drugs
Shira Hassan: Saving Our Own Lives: A Liberatory Practice of Harm Reduction
Gabor Maté, MD: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction
Carl Hart, PhD: High Price
Meagan N. Houston, PhD: Treating Suicidal Clients & Self-Harm Behaviors: Assessments, Worksheets & Guides for Interventions and Long-Term Care
Videos
Partnership to End Addiction — Why do some Teens Experiment with Drugs?
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health — New Strategies for Harm Reduction
Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center — Transformation: The Alchemy of Harm Reduction
Thomas Jefferson University — Center for Supportive Healthcare
Readings
CDC.gov — High-Risk Substance Use Among Youth
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (U.S.) — Facing Addiction in America
SAMHSA — Tips for Teens: The Truth About Alcohol
U.S. Deparment of Health & Human Services — Harm Reduction
American Addiction Centers.org — Harm Reduction Guide
FXB Center, Harvard University — Harm Reduction
Clinical Guidelines Program — Substance Use Harm Reduction in Medical Care

Restorative Sleep

Documentaries
The Quest for Sleep, 2022
The Dreaming Mind: Waking the Mysteries of Sleep, 2022
How To Sleep Better?, 2005
Headspace: Guide to Sleep, 2021

Connectedness
Books
Radha Agrawal: Belong: Find Your People, Create Community and Live a More Connected Life
Documentaries

Readings
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine — The Connection Prescription
Stanford Medicine — Connectedness & Health: The Science of Social Connection
Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy - PMC
The Health Benefits of Strong Relationships - Harvard Health
Northwestern Medicine — 5 Benefits of Healthy Relationships
US Department of Health and Human Services — Social Connection
American Psychological Association — Science of Friendship
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