The 40 Best Health and Wellness Books to Read in 2024

I was recently asked to compile a list of the “Best Health and Wellness Books” and I thought “How easy, I can surely do this in a day!” But how wrong was I.

As I started listing the books I knew should definitely be included in this top list, to ensure the reader of this list receives not only the most complete list of Health and Wellness Books, but also the most up to date list, I suddenly realized the list I had in mind had quite a few gaps, and that I’d be doing the reader a disservice.

So I started researching some more and filling in the gaps where I saw them. Which meant I had to do some more reading. Not that that is ever a problem, I simply love reading! Even more so if the subject matter is health and wellness.

The result is truly an extraordinary list of books – not only for physical health and wellness but also for mental health and spiritual health.

I even included a few of my top titles on financial health, as it has been proven to be of advantage (for your physical and mental health) when your financial health is also looked after.

Most of these books, if not all of them, makes for excellent reading, and also excellent gifts.

So if there is a certain someone in your life that might need a push to start looking after their health better, be sure to share this list with them. Or better yet, make sure they read some of these titles.

I hope you find this list as informative and comprehensive as I’ve intended it to be.

Are you clutter blind? Don’t worry, my hubby was too.

But then we discovered this book by happiness guru Gretchen Rubin and we learned about a few tips that would ultimately change our home environment forever. Some of these are:

• The one minute rule;
• Power hour;
• Using tech to help clear clutter; and
• Clearing clutter helps your mental health and helps you feel more gratitude for the things that truly matter in your life.

When we’re trying to create and maintain outer order, we often try to improve our habits. But how exactly do we change our habits?

Many experts offer one-size-fits-all solutions—but, alas, there’s no magic formula that works for everyone.

The secret is to pinpoint the specific strategies that will work for each of us. I identify the twenty-one strategies that will allow every reader to find an effective, individual fit.

Be inspired to rediscover and reinvent the real you – the you that has probably been buried by years of adapting to demands of your career.

By doing so you will be better equipped to visualize your retirement in an optimistic, possibility-filled light, and provide you with the knowledge and tools to help you create a plan for achieving your retirement dreams.

Money alone is not what brings true retirement joy, is it?

That’s why this book will teach you how to fill your life with a balance of activities and pursuits to keep you healthy, happy and fulfilled.

Have you ever wanted any of the following?

• Flawless skin;
• Whiter eyes;
• Increased energy (who doesn’t want more energy, right?!);
• Better sleep; or
• How about having a better understanding of how specific foods interact with your body?

Then the Whole30 books were written specifically with you in mind. Whole30 is a nutritional program designed to change the way you feel and eat in 30 days.

Basically, you have to remove all of the potentially inflammatory foods and beverages in your diet (think: added sugar and sweeteners, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy, processed foods and beverages, baked goods, and junk foods) and eat three “clean” meals a day, made with Whole30-approved ingredients (think: meats, seafood, veggies, and eggs).

Sounds tough? Yep, it is. But the rewards are so worth it.

As they say, health is the new wealth, and this is one way to achieve that wealth.

Though we talk about wanting to “age gracefully,” the truth is that when it comes to getting older, we’re programmed to dread an inevitable decline: in our health, our looks, our sexual relationships, even the pleasure we take in living life.

In Dr. Christiane Northrup’s New York Times best-selling book, she shows us we have it in us to make growing older an entirely different experience, both for our bodies and for our souls.

Explaining that the state of our health is dictated far more by our beliefs than by our biology, she works to shift our perceptions about getting older and show us what we are entitled to expect from our later years—no matter what our culture tries to teach us to the contrary—including:

• Vibrant good health;
• A fulfilling sex life;
• The capacity to love without losing ourselves;
• The ability to move our bodies with ease and pleasure; and
• Clarity and authenticity in all our relationships—especially the one we have with ourselves.

The book is not written in the self-help style, but rather a bit more narrative/quasi-autobiographical of Roth’s lived experiences and lessons learned.

She weaves a narrative about learning to exist in the world proudly as you are and find happiness and joy.

After the epilogue, she proves a more structured set of “touchstones” which encapsulates the lessons of the chapters. Some of these are:

• Stand in your own two shoes: Come out of your head and experience the world. Just breathe.
• Disengage from the crazy aunt in the attic (aka the bully, the judge, the inner parent): This is the inner monologue that often keeps us from moving forward due to a misplaced idea that it is somehow protective.
• Be kind to the ghost children [the familiar versions of ourselves built from various (mostly bad events) that due to repetition we have internalized to be our identity]: These parts of ourselves are frozen in time and reflect the present through the lens of (bad) past memories. By giving these ghost children tenderness and love their power over us can melt.

It’s a well-structured book.

Starting with a bit of science (stick with it it’s actually quite interesting to learn how your brain functions!), the book then moves into why we develop these habits, through influences, upbringing, friends, social demographics, and environment.

If you’ve enjoyed the Neale Donald Walsh series of Conversations with God, you’ll certainly enjoy this book too.

The last part in the book includes a section on how to fix it and provides exercise tips and advice on how to break the cycle, break the habit of being ourselves and become a better, happier version.

“Sex changes with aging, but for every problem, there is a solution,” says Joan Price, “senior sexpert” for the over-50 population.

With this population segment larger than ever in history, it stands to reason that we take note of what Joan has to say. This demographic is also healthier, more aware, more youthful, and more vocal than any previous older generation.

Their willingness to talk more openly about sex than previous generations serves them well. Thanks to ongoing medical discoveries, the sexual revolution, and the Internet, today’s seniors are also sexier than ever.

In “The Ultimate Guide to Sex After Fifty: How to Maintain – Or Regain – a Spicy, Satisfying Sex Life”, Price tackles it all: health, fun (and function), disability, dating, illness, orgasms, G-spots, P-spots, polyamory, kink, and much more.

She does this with her signature style of honesty, helpfulness, and humor. Make sure you start reading this book soon, after all, we are all seniors in training.

“Sleep, unfortunately, is not an optional lifestyle luxury. Sleep is a non- negotiable biological necessity.”

I’ve always loved sleep. I’ve also always been a night owl. Meaning I want to work until 2 am, get to bed around 3-ish, then sleep until 10 or 11 am the next morning. Doesn’t sound healthy at all, does it? But actually, it is!

And after reading “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker, Ph.D., I understood why. He takes a complex issue like sleep and explains it in a way that makes sense while backing it up with scientific evidence, which he also explains in a way that makes sense.

Another key takeaway from the book: quality of sleep is just as important, if not more, than the quantity of sleep.

My mum has suffered for years with IBS symptoms so reading this book has helped me (and her in turn) immensely.

It is a great beginner’s guide to having a healthy gut, with the awesome benefits of feeding your body nutritious foods.

Capalino, who is also a Registered Dietician, does an excellent job of breaking down exactly what FODMAPS are and how we as individuals can attune to what foods we are sensitive to. She offers case studies to prove her point as to why you should pay attention to your dietitian’s advice on content and portion size.

While one of the most common complaints about the low FODMAP diet is that you have to make your meals from scratch, Capalino’s recipes are very tasty while not being too complicated. Her tone makes for an easy read and overall I thought this was a fantastic educational diet book.

Next challenge: get my mum to read the book.

Look, I’ll be honest: this book doesn’t sit well with many people.

The Plant Paradox is not easy to follow, yet if you’ve tried other lifestyle changes and yet you are still battling with issues, then give this book a try.

Dr. Steven R Gundry explains how plants use gluten and lectin as part of a built-in defense system to fight against plant eaters (herbivores and Uhm, you and me), how lectins can attach themselves to the border of every intestinal cell and cause the body’s immune system to weaken.

In chapter four, he details how seven deadly disruptors come together and conspire with lectins to make people fat and sick, and the role the modern diet plays in this lethal game.

In the last part of the book, he lies down a step by step guide to following his protocol, making it easier to understand and implement in your own life.

The book contains meal plans and recipes too, albeit in a somewhat reader unfriendly format (the chef in me cringes).

Definitely worth a read although it may take you a little longer to get through the later chapters in the book.

My interest in neuroscience started shortly after reading of Dr. Joe Dispenza, so I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s summary of research linking scientific principles to scripture.

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist in the field of cognitive neuroscience and has devoted her life work in helping people see that they can renew their minds in a tangible way by learning to control their thoughts and emotions.

She has done a great job of correlating recent brain science with biblical commands and provides interesting strategies for dealing with stress and living a more mindful, stable life.

My favorite quote from the book is: “If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”

I am definitely walking away with some new truths for my life heading into the future.

The title of this book is what definitely attracted me to it, and I’m so grateful for reading it.

Dr. Mike Dow takes us on a journey through all the elements of our lives that we can improve upon, to help us feel less “foggy”.

He talks about brain health foods explaining how they increase levels of serotonin and dopamine. He also adds where to find them and some great recipes for smoothies.

I’m very much looking forward to following the 3-week regimen to return to a mindful state of living and to sort out my eating habits which have taken a bit of a downfall this year. Goodbye, stresses of 2019, hello, and welcome 2020!

The book is not only well researched but is also backed up with research and studies on simple lifestyle changes that can improve mood, memory, and fitness while aging.

And I recommend it for anyone who is experiencing less than optimal mental health, but make sure to talk to a health professional too.

If you’re looking for an enjoyable book that explains the working of the human brain, then look no further!

As a bonus, it is also quite intellectually stimulating. It’s a mix of part popular science, part metaphysics and part self-help book and the authors manage to brilliantly explain how each one of us looks at the world differently and why we think that our imagination is a reality.

I found this book to be outstanding in both content and organization and the authors back up all their arguments with full evidence, making it an enjoyable, believable read.

As a lover of history, I really admire Beck’s outright truthfulness in discussing the history of America. There is a lot to be learned and taken away in a positive light.

The book focuses on commonality and why as a society Americans are addicted to and feed off outrage and argue over less than critical issues (football players kneeling for example).

This is making it impossible for the USA to come together as a nation for more serious issues like poverty and national security.

A must-read regardless of political view especially for Americans who are seen as divided and thrown in the middle of chaos.

The book will stay with you long after you have put it down, and you end up looking at things from a totally different perspective than before.

Looking for your next holiday read? Something easy that can be devoured within a day, yet stimulates the mind?

Take a closer look at “Mindless Eating” by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., as it provides practical tips to change our eating in small ways so that we don’t feel food deprived in any way.

Much of the advice read is common sense and the fact that Wansink backs up his knowledge with actual research gives the book a lot more weight.

Through psychological studies, he demonstrates that almost all of our decisions about food and eating are psychological and even if we believe we control them, we don’t. He presents many cases and analyses many different scenarios, all of which are very interesting.

Whether you use this book to figure out healthy eating strategies, or simply as a guide to human behavior, you will walk away having learned a thing or two.

The author uses Kaizen principles (translated from Japanese as “continuous improvement”) to guide his treatment and counseling of patients with problems ranging from wanting to quit smoking, needing to exercise more, desiring to eat better, wanting to floss daily to becoming more appreciative of one’s spouse.

All of these issues sound so simple, right? Then why do most people struggle to build healthy habits around these issues?

A possible explanation is that most people find the task of changing their daily habits too overwhelming, so they do nothing instead.

Think of the kid in the candy store – faced with too many options, he goes into meltdown because he simply can’t make a decision. Maurer suggests that small baby step changes are interpreted by your amygdala as less overwhelming and scary.

For a patient named Julie, who had to make a lifestyle change in order to lose weight, it was far easier to start marching for just one minute while she was watching TV… and then the entire commercial break, then two. Eventually, Julie was exercising for extended periods of time. Julie’s brain had built new neural connections around exercising, and in doing so she lost the fear around it.

Later in the book, Maurer creates an interesting twist, as the kaizen principles (originating in the workplace), are brought back into the workplace, as he described how staff at a medical clinic turned around their operations and became successful through these same ideas he had used with his patients. It all comes full circle.

All in all, I found this a fascinating read with far-reaching implications for my health journey. You will love it too, I’m sure.

Written by Vishen Lakhiani of Mindvalley fame, “The Code of The Extraordinary Mind” is a book with a simple premise: There is a code – a set of principles and methodologies – you can learn that will help you create and live an extraordinary life.

The book offers this code. Some of Lakhiani’s beliefs about reality seem a bit out there, but his success speaks for itself. The book is written in a very conversational tone and it’s super easy to read and understand.

My kids enjoyed the audio version of the book with me, even (let’s be honest, especially) the parts where he teaches us what the term “unfuckwithable” means.

For me, the highlight of the book was learning how to Update my Models of Reality and my Systems for Living.

“Extraordinary minds understand that their growth depends on two things: their models of reality and their systems for a living. They carefully curate the most empowering models and systems and frequently update themselves.”

Vishen Lakhiani calls the process of changing your habits and beliefs consciousness engineering, a concept he discusses in detail in the book.

The key takeaway for me was learning about Vishen’s ideas that there’s an optimal state of being which he calls bending reality.

In this state, you’re experiencing feelings of growth and enjoyment, you’re feeling as if the universe has your back, and you almost seem to magically attract the right opportunities, ideas, and people towards you.

He also provides ample tools and downloadable bonuses with this book, so if your own happiness is important to you, give this book a read and let me know if you were as impressed with it as I (and my children) were.

Ever heard of Estrogen Dominance? Neither did I, until I heard of the work done by Magdalena Wszelaki.

If any of the following symptoms apply to you, I would highly recommend her books and programs to you:

• Hashimoto’s
• Graves’
• Adrenal fatigue
• Mood swings
• Adult acne
• Migraines
• PMS
• Bloating
• Lumpy boobs
• Hair loss

Her approach that food can be medicine, is truly a blessing for many women that have dealt with these issues and have not been able to find answers from western medicine. She is also the founder of Hormones Balance and Hormone Balance Nutritionals.

Most gut health books are filled with recipes that are a mile long, even though they say they are super simple and quick. If a recipe needs more than 7 ingredients you’ve lost me, and I’m a qualified chef!

This book delivered on its promises of delicious and easy to follow recipes.

It is well written, and Holmes’ holistic nutritionist background allows her to share a lot of knowledgeable information on how to heal your gut.

Gut dysfunction is often a hidden factor behind many chronic health conditions and this book provides a simple and practical healing regimen that has the ability to transform your gut. In the process, you also improve your overall health in a very powerful way.

Holmes provides you with information, meal plans and recipes to really heal your gut and get your health back on track.

So far, I have tried the slippery elm drink in the mornings and I’m very impressed with the results. I look forward to testing out the 4-week healing process in the near future.

In “7 Minutes to Better Health”, Sam Wood shares a new program which focuses on helping people take the first steps to take control of their life.

His new program is designed to help you get off the couch by participating in a 7-minute workout that anyone can do. The book actually details 30 of these 7-minute exercise workouts and has nutritious recipes that go hand in hand with every workout.

Luckily for us, these 30 tempting smoothies and 30 easy-to-make salad recipes are quick, simple and very delicious and have been specially created for their high nutritional value. They are healthy recipes that save you time and make you feel fuller for longer. #eatarainbow

Wood is a personal trainer and has helped transform many people’s lives so stop procrastinating and take control of your life, weight, and your health.

Dr. Gates is a leading clinical neuropsychologist and author. In this book, she explains menopause with a common-sense approach.

When my friend hit her 50’s she says she started to feel like there was something wrong with her. “As much as I have faith in the medical profession, I just wasn’t getting the help that I felt I needed until I picked up this book.”

After her recommendation, I read the book myself. I found it very informative without the usual preaching that goes on. Dr. Gates used easy-to-understand explanations for scientific data.

The guide is comprehensive and covers all aspects of the menopause journey, how it impacts women’s health, relationships, career, mood, emotions, and daily functioning.

It helps you understand the connection between hormonal changes and how women can manage what can be a challenging and overwhelming time.

This is well worth the read and one to refer your daughter to when she reaches this stage in her life.

Linda Geddes is a science journalist specializing in biology, medicine, and technology.

In this book, she explores the sun and how the light from it affects our health both mentally and physically.

Although the book is crammed with science, it is simple enough to be read and understood by anyone. If you are interested in science and biology, then you will enjoy it too.

Geddes shares insightful comments, summaries and research into our rhythms (daily to annual) and through these I have become more conscious of my own sleeping and waking patterns and daily routine.

I never fully understood the importance of sunlight/natural light on not only my mood and sleep but also the impact it has on my healing.

I truly learned so much and now want to make sure that I get more sun and vitamin D, especially in the winter!

I would definitely recommend this book to people who want some easy reading information on making small changes to their everyday life.

Aubrey writes in a simple fashion of a combination of seriousness and humor. He’s done some great work putting together this book, with some super information, solid advice, ideas and tips to improve all areas of our daily life.

He covers topics such as working, training and playing, drugs, sleeping, sex and much more.

The added bonus is that all the ideas and tips given in the book are actionable by way of instructions offered by Aubrey. At the end of every chapter, all the ideas and tips are summarized.

Improving your day and life utilizing optimum nutrition as well as some sensible practices is the main theme of the book and Aubrey conveys this through his knowledge and repetition so that it actually sinks in.

Ugly criers are warned! Option B is a real tear-jerker.

We all carry heaps of grief in our lives and do our best to hide it from others. This book uses Sandberg’s tragedy of suddenly losing her husband to a massive heart attack while holidaying in Mexico.

She discusses her growth from the trauma, it’s impact, her recovery, and grief, and also explains principles on how to build resilience.

Sandberg is extremely open throughout the book and this seems to add credential to her writing. The book is well-written and her story is very moving.

Sheryl also delves into her return home from the traumatic trip and having to break the devastating news to her two young children.

I will end off with one of her sayings from the book which I found very helpful:

“Bounce forward” – Instead of bouncing back. We all have the potential for growth in very difficult situations.

This book by Wentz is very well explained, especially if you are at a loss with your thyroid condition and have no idea where to start.

Wentz outlines specific protocols to help people reach wellness by way of supporting the adrenal glands, liver and the gut through taking supplements, utilizing specific recipes and making lifestyle changes.

She also discusses why your immune system may be attacking your thyroid and how to prevent further damage without the use of medication. The book teaches you that true health and wellness can come from within.

Wentz’s protocols offer hope for remission and she often states that your genes are definitely not your destiny. Having hope can ignite a passion in you to make changes that only you can implement into your life.

The most inspiring thing about this book is that Wentz uses herself as a guinea pig for the assessments and protocols provided and shares her results.

I found “The Ripple Effect” a very easy book to read as well as being entertaining, informative, educational, and eye-opening.

Backed by research, Dr. Wells clearly explains our physiological and psychological responses but not in a too technical way. He outlines a plan to help people to sleep better, eat better, move, and think better.

The basic idea of the book is that people can make significant improvements in their lives by getting everything in their lives working together in sync.

It reveals the secret of achieving the most optimal performance in a fast-paced environment. Wells also adds words of wisdom from various people as well as narratives from people who have overcome hardships and who have emerged to go on and live better lives. He also adds external sources, podcasts, and website suggestions for further research.

This is definitely a highly recommended book for those who want to learn the science of a life of well-being.

This book and everything that is written in it is amazing! This is no conventional, regular self-help book and Mark Manson uses many naughty words to get his point across. The chef in me loved this language.

Speaking the truth and writing about important issues that are a part of our lives, he writes in a language that is easy to relate to, and its message is basic and attainable.

The most interesting part of the book for me came from Manson’s insights on psychology, specifically the psychology of relationships. He presents some satisfying answers with the knowledge from having been in those types of relationships.

The book is pretty blunt, which is a form of being honest. The book guides you to living a better life and Manson tells you that it’s ok to not be ok, and teaches you how to be that black sheep among millions of other sheep.

Most importantly, he teaches you how to not give unnecessary f*cks to every little encounter in your life. I highly recommend it!

Everyone should read this highly informative and quick read. It is clear, concise by nature, and well researched.

Bonvie writes about certain additives and their possible effects on humans, and some of the new research she has come across is quite dire.

For example, some companies use Aluminium in food products, and this has been directly linked to the development of Alzheimer’s.

As consumers of these products, we have the power to change the food industry, but we need to inform ourselves about what exactly is going on so that we can make smarter food choices.

Most people have a fair idea of what foods are good for you and eating natural is probably the best way to go. But this can be easier said than done in our modern lifestyles as it’s so convenient to eat unhealthy food choices as we are constantly surrounded by them.

If you are a person interested in the best possible foods for yourself and your family, then I recommend that you read this book. The research and findings in it are very informative.

Part health book, part business book, this has been one of my best reads this year!

Huffington combines personal stories with scientific facts and worldly wisdom and tells of the challenges she faced as a mother and businesswoman, and her personal issues that pushed her to find a better way of life.

She has achieved the two metrics that signal success in our society (power and money) but after an accident, through sheer exhaustion, stress, and lack of sleep (sound familiar anyone?) she realized that there really needs to be a third metric to define success. Her third metric contains well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving.

I round this off as a very insightful book on looking after yourself. Huffington emphasizes the importance of sleep and this is based on her personal life where she worked too hard, striving to get to the top.

She offers well researched and well-known remedies for relaxation in the form of mindfulness, meditation, and walking.

Huffington is a wonderful storyteller and people from all walks of life will find this book useful in some way.

Brown writes about coming to terms with failure and how one can cope with it.

She writes with great clarity about difficult emotions like heartbreak and shame and delves into how we become unproductive and self-loathing when we are at our lowest. She also covers different kinds of productive behaviors that we can use to deal with ourselves when we are going through bad patches.

In Rising Strong, Brown writes about her own personal life and how she dealt with vulnerability. She also offers stories from people she has interviewed, and these real-life situations are very helpful.

Each case is a different uphill battle, whether it be marriage, insecurity, family, or habits and I could see myself in nearly everyone one of these situations.

She also writes about compassion and explains how reaching out to others costs us nothing. To quote:

“Empathy is not finite, and compassion is not a pizza with eight slices. When you practice empathy and compassion with someone, there is not less of these qualities to go around. There’s more.”

This book is definitely a life-changer and you will walk away as a richer person for having read it.

You definitely have to be honest with yourself while reading this book. Look at yourself, know what you are feeling, who you are and what you want, and then start going after it.

A great bonus in this book is the part that has a 3-step exercise for people who are struggling with food and weight issues.

• Step 1 covers detailing the struggles that you have with food.
• Step 2 requires you to review the paragraph, then summarise it, and;
• Step 3 requires you to review your summary and come up with one honest statement that describes your issue.

Once you have that statement, recognize it as the problem so that you can work on the solution.

It’s a great book with lots of great information on how to be productive and mindful and ultimately enjoy your life.

A very informative and interesting book by neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt, who understands the link between our brains and our weight.

She doesn’t write to give use a recipe for weight-loss but instead helps her readers to be more connected to their body and brain requirements.

She brings together a great amount of research from different fields like genetics and mice research and even from people recovering from horrific wartime conditions. There are also references to articles from scientific journals throughout her book allowing for more credibility.

Aamodt offers lots of evidence to support the fact that restrictive or calorie counting diets do not work due to the effect of these restrictions on the brain.

The book gives evidence on how marketing is to blame for a lot of people’s prejudices about their health and food choices. And this is the most important information to get out to people.

Marketing is a hazard and can do a lot of harm both to adults and children alike. Because of this information, I definitely recommend this book to everyone.

This book is about so much more than just losing weight. It’s a definite read for not only if you’re on a weight-loss journey, but also if you want to know how the body works.

Weaver takes a holistic approach to weight-loss and her book describes how physical and emotional factors mingle and affect our ability to maintain a healthy weight.

Her way of writing is very easy to understand and is not overwhelming. She explains important health factors like how your liver might be the key to your (non) weight-loss and how it, along with stress hormones, can also affect your feminine hormonal balance.

I love the recipe options that the book offers and recommend this as a must-read for anyone looking for a healthy and happy future. It’s definitely not just for those intending to lose weight.

This was one of the best weight-loss, fitness, and motivational book that I’ve read in a long time. Roth breaks down how you can achieve weight-loss into three categories:

• Identifying the problem;
• Identifying the solution; and
• Carrying out the solution.

Roth really does understand the many reasons why some people are overweight. He lists these in his book, for example, poor coping skills or trauma from the past.

Apart from all the great knowledge in this book, it also offers some great quotes – “Where are you fat? In your head!”

I recommend this book for anyone who struggles with weight issues.

If you are taking medication for depression or anxiety, have ever taken them, or currently considering taking them, then I urge you to read this book as it could quite possibly change your life.

In her book, Dr. Brogan explains how anti-depressants are not always the answer.

Despite what pharmaceutical companies have to lead us to believe, we don’t actually know the exact effects that anti-depressants have on the brain.

She explains how chemicals are not the answer and that avoiding these, and other toxins, can actually heal us. A balanced diet with natural foods nourishes our bodies and as we already know, physical exercise is also essential.

Brogan’s book continues with the growing body of evidence of connecting gut health to brain function. She also offers clear advice on lifestyle and dietary changes that can improve your mental and physical health.

“A Mind of Your Own” is an excellent book for women who are struggling with depression and would prefer to change to a more holistic treatment option which includes a healthy diet, exercise, vitamins, and plenty of sleep.

Brogan also offers a lot of information and recommendation for supplements and vitamins from the research that she has carried out.

Related: 10 Best Books on Nutritional Supplements

By now, you must have heard of Marie Kondo’s method of tidying up? It truly is life-changing.

Although I don’t truly believe that this method will work for absolutely everyone, some of her principles do hold universal appeal.

The real magic is finding a way that works for you, that way you can create healthy habits around clutter clearing, which will enhance your life and well-being.

The layout of the book is very helpful and it breaks down small and simple changes week by week, over the course of a year.

Blumenthal begins with basic scientific proof on how each of his ideas will impact your life, and he follows this up with practical tips on how to effectively implement the changes, such as developing music appreciation to eating nourishing foods, incorporating play, and much more.

If you are able to make these lifestyle changes, they can ultimately lead to a more relaxed state, improved memory, increased productivity and long-term happiness.

The back of the book also features interactive tools and resources to help you begin some of the projects.

Even if you only end up adopting 5-10 of these 52 changes to your life, they will help you immensely.

“Growing Older Without Feeling Old” is the definitive book on a key issue for the 21st century.

It is definitely an excellent biological review of aging where Westendorp explores the causes of the aging revolution and looks to explain how we can face it with confidence and look forward to living longer, healthier, and more productive lives.

He looks at how longer lifespans change the way we organize our societies and how people can best prepare themselves for living considerably longer.

Does it help to eat less, or take hormones and different vitamins and minerals? And also what can we learn from old people who remain full of vitality, despite illness and infirmity?

A very interesting book on how we maintain a positive life while aging.

If you, or someone you love, have any brain-related medical problems then I strongly recommend this book.

Some of what Doidge discusses is cutting edge stuff, but a lot of it is accessible and gives you an idea of where to get help.

In the first case study of the book, Doidge writes about a man with Parkinson’s and details his road to recovery. Through this story, we learn about laser light healing which is a form of treatment whereby a low-level laser is applied to the surface of the patient’s body to stimulate the body’s cells to heal faster.

The science behind this form of treatment is based on the fact that the human body contains light-receptive cells throughout, even our internal organs.

Doidge also reiterates that the mind (brain) and the body cannot be seen as separate as the two work together in infinite feedback loops.

He not only looks as low-level laser as a treatment but lists others as well, for example, Tomatis and Feldenkrais. Some treatments rely on the mind/body alone while others use technology.

Together, these approaches represent the budding ideas of the current age of neuroscience and mental health.

A must-read.