ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I love writing acknowledgments pages. They’re the most fun of all to write, and I look forward to it every time I do it.

Why, you ask?

Because acknowledging makes everyone feel good, including—or especially—the acknowledger. Everyone loves to be acknowledged, and it’s a gift (for me) to be able to thank the people in my life who continue to contribute to me and make such a difference in the quality of my existence on this planet.

Some of them helped a lot with this book. Some of them just increase my joy every day I’m alive. (Some did both.)

All of them—for better or worse—help make me who I am.

So.

I’d like to acknowledge my dear brother Jeffrey, my sister-in-law Nancy, my beloved niece Cadence and her wonderful husband Jared, and my incredibly talented nephew Pace.

My agent and advocate for more than fifteen years, Coleen O’Shea of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency. My friend Mike Danielson and the whole team at Media Relations Agency—Genesis Johnson, Heather Aarre, Tsering Yangchen, Heather Champaigne, Robin Miller, Krista Wigall, Gail Brandt, Sallie Crowe, and Anne Caron. My friend Dean Draznin, and Terri Slater and Diane Chojinowski of Draznin Communications. The brilliant and generous Karl Krummacher of Wellness Media Group. and the equally brilliant and generous Kelly Bakst and Anna Van Tonder of Volcanic Star, Inc. James Goodwin of Black Triangle Media. Danny and Emily Bradey. And, of course, JJ Virgin, and all the friends and colleagues I’ve met at her annual Mindshare Summit event.

My editors—Nicole Brecha at Better Nutrition, Ann Nix at Amazing Wellness, and Alicia Tyler at Clean Eating. Thanks also to the team at Fair Winds Press—Jess Haberman, the wonderful Cara Connors (my editor on this book and so many others), and the amazing Jenna Patton, Ph.D., who, in addition to being wildly overqualified for the copyediting and fact-checking work she did, was the ultimate Jonny-whisperer.

I’d like to acknowledge my “chosen” family who sustain and nourish me in countless ways: Anja Christy, Andre Davis, Billy Stritch, Brandon Skinner, Christopher Crabb, Christopher Duncan, Danny Troob, Dean and Stephanie Raffelock, Dexter Fletcher, Doug Monas, Glen Depke, Jeannette Bessinger, Kevin Hogan, Lauree Dash, Lauren Trotter, Liz Neporent, Marianna Ricci, Nikki Arguinzoni-Gill, Oliver Beaucamp, Oz Garcia, Peter Breger, Randy Graff, Scott Ellis, Sky London, Susan Wood, Taryn Sena Dunivant, Zack and Bootsie Grakal, and the late Harlan Kleiman.

Except for the four-legged kind, I’ve never had children. But through a weird trick of fate mixed with irony, I’ve somehow managed to be lucky enough to have eight of them in my life. I got the best of both worlds, thanks to the parents of Drew Christy (now grown); Luke and Sage Grakal; Charlie Ann, Miles and Brock Duncan; and especially Jade and Zoe Hochanadel, who I could not love more if they were my own. I hope one day you all read this book, happen to notice the acknowledgments section that nobody reads, and remember how much you mean to me.

And to Mark Stockman and Jeff Radich, for everything you do and for the transparency and integrity with which you do it. And, of course, for the hot tub.

A very special thanks to Dana Carpender. And to Dr. Richard Lewis. And to Dr. Beth Traylor.

To my personal, informal mastermind group—Dr. Jade Teta and Esther Blum. I appreciate and admire you so much it’s silly. You, too, Mark David.

To my absolutely indefatigable and incredible assistant, Brooke Baird, without whom I can’t imagine how I’d get through a day. Anything you touch automatically gets better. You’ve given me a new understanding of what “got your back” really means. Thank you.

The great, late nutritionist, teacher, author, and humanitarian, Robert Crayhon.

To all my animal companions that bring/have brought such joy into my life—Max, Tigerlily, Woodstock, Allegra, Emily, Lucy, and Bubba.

Allen Stone. Miles Davis. Laura Nyro. Without your soundtrack, it’s not the same movie.

The three writers who have influenced me the most: William Goldman, Ed McBain (Evan Hunter), and Dr. Robert Sapolsky.

To Dr. Ernest van den Haag, long forgotten, but never by me.

To Anja Christy, my literary muse through fifteen books and countless articles, who I treasure more than I can possibly say.

Werner Erhard, for starting the process for so very many people, me included.

Michelle Obama for demonstrating time and again what “the better angels of our nature” looks like.

To the entire country of St. Martin—thank you for existing.

And to the universe for—against all odds—bringing me together (at age 63!) with the great love of my life, Michelle Elaine Mosher, with whom I am privileged to be—in the deepest, most passionate, and bashert-y sense of the word—fully and permanently engaged.