Author: Peggy White

“Right now, there is quite likely to be a conversation you are trying to avoid. It is probably one that is important to you, but it has a quality of discomfort to it.”

This month, I took a break from my usual nutrition-focused reading and finally sat down with Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversations by Kathryn Mannix. It’s been sitting in my to-read pile since it was published in 2021. (You may know Mannix from her bestselling book With the End in Mind.)

As I’ve mentioned before, lifestyle medicine is built on six foundational pillars: a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections. These pillars are deeply interconnected and form the basis for preventing, treating, and managing chronic diseases. Mannix’s Listen is a powerful resource for strengthening the pillar of positive social connection.

What a resource this book is! In the first part, Mannix breaks down the basic skills required to open up meaningful dialogue, especially what she calls “tender conversations.” The later chapters show how to apply these skills in particularly difficult or emotionally charged situations. While the book ends with a helpful “style guide” of useful phrases, the bulk of its power lies in storytelling. Mannix emphasizes that for a conversation to feel genuine, it must come from our own words. The stories she shares are incredibly moving, so many of them resonated with me on a deeply personal level. 

The chapter that stood out the most for me was titled Where Are the Listening Spaces? In it, Mannix discusses social prescribing, a practice in which healthcare providers refer patients to non-medical, community-based support systems to improve overall well-being. She writes:

“Social prescribing recognizes that we are social beings and that connection is good for us, boosts our mood, and keeps us healthy.“

She also introduces the concept of Compassionate Space—places where people can connect, share stories, listen, and co-create meaning together. 

This book has me thinking about how I can integrate the skills of tender conversation into my own life, both personally and professionally. Mannix leaves us with a guiding message, one that has stayed with me:

“Compassion shared transforms lives, and listening is a good place to start.”

I absolutely love this book and would recommend it to everyone. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (a.k.a. Dr. B) is a gastroenterologist, but he’s also incredibly approachable. I’ve followed him over the years and genuinely appreciate his knowledge, compassion, and sense of humour. Nearly half the book is recipes, so don’t be intimidated, this is an easy, engaging, and entertaining read.

The book is thoughtfully structured into three parts, each building on the last:

• Part 1: Knowledge is Power
  
• Part 2: The Fiber Fueled Approach
  
• Part 3: The Fiber Fueled Plan
  

Part 1: Knowledge is Power

This section dives deep into gut microbiota. Did you know there may be up to 36,000 species of bacteria living in your gut? The key to a healthy gut is diversity. When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can contribute to a range of diseases. Dr. B discusses symptoms of a damaged gut, some expected (gas, bloating, abdominal pain), and others surprising (anxiousness, sinus congestion, bad breath).

He explores how the gut is essential to immune function and connects it to metabolic conditions (like obesity, type 2 diabetes, pancreatitis), hormonal conditions (endometriosis, sexual dysfunction, breast cancer), and neuropsychiatric conditions (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, depression).

Dr. B. explains how our modern lifestyle, marked by being overfed, undernourished, and hyper-medicated, is damaging our health. He critiques the Standard American Diet (SAD) for its excess of sugar, refined carbs, salt, preservatives, additives, artificial sweeteners, unhealthy fats, animal protein, and fad diets.

He also takes a deep dive into fiber and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), explaining their powerful role in protecting against disease.

Part 2: The Fiber Fueled Approach

This section focuses on how to heal your gut by increasing fiber intake. For those who struggle with fiber digestion, there’s a full chapter dedicated to overcoming food sensitivities and intolerances. Fermented foods are another key element of gut healing.

Dr. B also breaks down the gut health essentials: prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. To make it easier to remember what to eat, he introduces a simple acronym: F-GOALS

• F: Fruit & Fermented
  
• G: Greens & Grains
  
• O: Omega-3 Super Seeds
  
• A: Aromatics (onions, garlic)
  
• L: Legumes
  
• S: Sulforaphane (broccoli sprouts & cruciferous veggies)
  

Part 3: The Fiber Fueled Plan

The final section lays out a practical, approachable plan to put the knowledge into action. It includes easy and tasty recipes to help you start your journey toward better health.

This book is amazing—it provides both the “why” and the “how” behind the plan, which is key to lasting change.

If you’re living with GI issues or chronic disease and haven’t read Fiber Fueled, get yourself a copy now. You won’t be disappointed, and you’ll be well on your way to better health. And if you ever get the chance to hear Dr. Bulsiewicz speak, don’t miss it—he’s down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and truly inspiring.