Good Energy

Good Energy: Harness the Power of Metabolic Health to Live Better Longer by sibling co-authors, Dr. Casey Means and Calley Means, is a notable work in the health and wellness genre, first published in May 2024. Drawing on Dr. Means’s expertise as a Stanford-trained surgeon, functional medicine practitioner, and co-founder of the health-tech company Levels, as well as Calley Means’s background as a health entrepreneur and advocate for systemic healthcare reform, the book provides a comprehensive framework for improving metabolic health. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, scientific research, and actionable advice, Good Energy explores how lifestyle factors—nutrition, sleep, movement, and stress management—affect cellular health and overall well-being. By addressing the root causes of chronic diseases and offering practical strategies for fostering “Good Energy,” the authors challenge conventional medicine’s focus on symptom management. Themes of empowerment, holistic health, and systemic change are woven throughout the text, offering readers both the tools and the inspiration to transform their health and lives.

This guide refers to the eBook version of Good Energy published in 2024 by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Summary

Good Energy: Harness the Power of Metabolic Health to Live Better Longer by Dr. Casey Means and Calley Means is a comprehensive guide that combines scientific research, personal stories, and actionable advice to empower readers to take control of their health. The book argues that many chronic diseases are preventable and reversible through lifestyle changes that support optimal metabolic health. Divided into four parts, the book gradually introduces readers to the concept of “Good Energy,” provides the science behind it, offers practical strategies, and concludes with a collection of recipes to support its principles.

The book begins with Dr. Casey Means reflecting on her experiences as a surgeon and her realization that conventional medicine often focuses on managing symptoms rather than addressing root causes. Through the stories of patients—such as Sophia who underwent sinus surgery, and Sarah whose migraines were linked to chronic inflammation—Means illustrates the interconnectedness of chronic diseases and highlights the systemic limitations of modern healthcare. She introduces the concept of metabolic health, defining it as the body’s ability to efficiently convert food into energy.

Means contends that metabolic dysfunction, which she terms “Bad Energy,” is at the root of many chronic illnesses, including obesity, anxiety, and heart disease. She emphasizes that Bad Energy is caused by factors such as poor diet, sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and environmental toxins. In contrast, “Good Energy” represents a state of optimal health, where the body functions efficiently at the cellular level. Means provides a scientific foundation for these concepts, detailing how mitochondria—the “powerhouses of the cell”—play a central role in energy production and how lifestyle factors affect their function.

Part 2 delves deeper into how specific lifestyle factors influence metabolic health, with chapters devoted to sleep, nutrition, movement, stress, and environmental toxins. Means begins by discussing the importance of circadian rhythms, explaining how light exposure and consistent sleep patterns regulate hormonal cycles and insulin sensitivity. She critiques societal practices such as early school start times and reliance on artificial light, arguing that they disrupt natural sleep-wake cycles and contribute to metabolic dysfunction. Means also highlights the impact of modern diets on metabolic health. She advocates for eliminating added sugars, refined grains, and seed oils while incorporating nutrient-dense whole foods like vegetables, omega-3 fats, and fermented products. She categorizes foods based on their levels of processing, warning against ultra-processed foods and their environmental costs. Practical advice—such as how to stabilize blood sugar levels and prepare balanced meals—helps readers implement her recommendations.

In addition to diet and sleep, Means emphasizes the importance of movement, advocating for daily activity beyond structured exercise. She introduces the concept of NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which includes activities like walking and household chores. Similarly, she discusses the health benefits of exposing the body to temperature fluctuations, such as cold plunges and saunas, which stress the body in positive ways. Means explains how chronic stress affects metabolic health, linking it to inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Drawing on her personal experiences and those of patients like Gayle and Lucy, she explores how modern life inundates individuals with fear and anxiety. She encourages readers to develop mindfulness practices, seek therapy, and cultivate gratitude to combat chronic stress and foster Good Energy.

Part 3 offers a structured, four-week plan for implementing Good Energy habits. Means begins by encouraging readers to identify their motivations and values, as she believes these are essential for sustaining lifelong health changes. She introduces the “hierarchy of competence,” a model that helps readers assess their proficiency in different habits and identify areas for growth. The plan’s first week focuses on self-reflection and assessment. Readers are encouraged to track biometrics, start a food journal, and establish accountability systems. Week two centers on dietary changes, including eliminating processed foods and incorporating more fiber, probiotics, and antioxidants. Means provides detailed meal suggestions and includes a list of convenient pre-packaged foods that align with her principles. In weeks three and four, readers are tasked with selecting three additional habits from Means’s list of twenty-five Good Energy habits, which include resistance training, meditation, and maximizing sunlight exposure. Means emphasizes that the goal is not to master all habits at once but to create sustainable routines.

Part 4 provides a collection of recipes designed to support the dietary principles outlined in earlier chapters. The recipes are categorized into meals—such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and additional sections for snacks, sides, sauces, and desserts. Each recipe eliminates added sugars, refined grains, and seed oils, aligning with the Good Energy eating framework. Means includes practical tips to make healthy eating more manageable, such as preparing dressings in advance or stocking the pantry with nutrient-dense staples. The recipes also include nutritional explanations, such as the benefits of omega-3s in pasture-raised eggs. By combining detailed instructions with insights into the health benefits of each dish, this section reinforces the book’s emphasis on education and accessibility.