The Ripple Effect - by Andrea Revell (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"...an inspiring and tremendously hopeful book." -Fritjof Capra, coauthor of The Systems View of Life

"...one of the most important books for optimizing the human experience." -Tom Cronin, Founder of Zen Academy and bestselling author of The Portal

"...a breath of remarkably fresh air." -Shakti Saran, systems thinking consultant, Cornell University

Why is it that a billion people in the world are obese and one in three suffer from chronic disease? How are our struggling healthcare systems linked to the growing gap between rich and poor or the climate crisis? Is our diet cooking the planet? Can we prevent cancer with a walk in the woods, reduce heart attacks with a positive mindset, or grow our brains by meditating?

The Ripple Effect answers these questions with a bird's-eye view of our global health and environmental crisis, exploring where we've gone wrong and what to do about it. Instead of our typical reductionist lens to examine these challenges, what is required is a "systems view"-looking holistically at the interplay of our lifestyle habits, mindsets, social relationships, and environmental and spiritual (dis)connection to encourage joined-up thinking on how to heal ourselves and our planet.

Dr. Revell shows how simple lifestyle changes such as eating better, sleeping smarter, moving more, relaxing deeply, and connecting with nature (both literally and spiritually) can cause a big splash that transforms the world.

Review Quotes

"This book offers a unique systemic approach to health, integrating the biological, psychological, social, environmental, and spiritual dimensions of well-being. It acknowledges the interdependence of the major problems of our time, seeing them all as problems of health. The author lucidly demonstrates the deep interconnectedness of all life, the important links between individual and planetary health, and the critical relationship between well-being and sustainability. This is an inspiring and tremendously hopeful book." -Fritjof Capra, coauthor of The Systems View of Life

"Once we understand the deep implications of the truism that 'we are all microcosms of the macrocosm' then we can begin the process of healing ourselves and healing the Earth. In her timely new book, The Ripple Effect, Dr Andrea Revell explains how, through systems thinking, we can relinquish the 'illusion of separation' and recognize that we can each play a creative role in this vitally important regenerative undertaking." -Lorna Howarth, former editor of The Resurgence and Ecologist magazine and author of Sandpaper for the Soul

"The Ripple Effect is one of the most important books for optimizing the human experience. This is a clear and detailed guide of where we have gone wrong and how we can go right with living healthily and harmoniously on the planet. For anyone who cares about our world it's a must read." -Tom Cronin, Founder of Zen Academy and bestselling author of The Portal

"The Ripple Effect is a breath of remarkably fresh air. Andrea shifts the paradigm from the treatment of illness to the pursuit of good health, and in doing so unfolds the connections between our personal health and our social interactions, the state of our planet, and our search for meaning and purpose."-Shakti Saran, systems thinking consultant, Cornell University

"At first glance The Ripple Effect appears to be about two sets of crises which are defining the 21st century: environmental destruction and the rise of chronic disease. This book cogently expresses that, at their heart, they are symptoms of the same issue-the unhealthy relationship between the social and natural world. Drawing on the latest scientific evidence with insights from Eastern philosophy, Revell constructs an enlightening narrative which describes this relationship from the individual scale, where we are neglecting the four pillars of health, to the planetary scale, where we are exceeding planetary boundaries."-Dr. Sam Hampton, Zero Emissions Enterprise, Oxford University