The 7 best health and wellness books of 2017
You’ve decided to take action and find your path to good health this year, so what better way to boost your motivation and commitment to that change than with a book that aligns with your goals. Whether you want to learn how to cook more nutritious (and easy) meals, how to build strength in the gym or how to live a stress-free and happier life, there’s a book for you.
The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer
Available at Amazon, $16.66
Written by Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist, this book dives into the science of telomeres, the parts of our chromosomes that determine how fast our cells age and die, but it also provides relatable advice on how you can reverse aging and boost health. Learn how changes to your state of mind, sleep quality, exercise and aspects of diet can impact your overall health and slow down the aging process.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
Mark Manson doesn’t sugarcoat things. In this book, he tries to share how we can become better, happier people by not thinking positive all the time. His arguments are backed both by academic research and vulgar humor which help drive home the idea that “there are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter.”
Available at Amazon, $14.99
What Venus Williams really eats—and how a drastic diet change impacted her life, career
The No Meat Athlete Cookbook: Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes to Fuel Your Workouts―and the Rest of Your Life
Matt Frazier is a gym-goer turned marathon runner turned ultrarunner and he’s also the mind behind the popular site, No Meat Athlete, where he shares his transformation from a junk-food and takeout-filled diet to his current vegetarian lifestyle. In his new book, Frazier details how athletes can perform better on whole plant foods and even shares 150 vegan recipes that are affordable and quick to get on the table.
Available at Amazon, $9.99
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living
Pronounced hoo-ga, hygge is a Danish word that describes a feeling or mood that comes from taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary everyday things simply extraordinary. It may be the newest craze, but there is something to learn from the philosophy of comfort, togetherness and well being, and this book provides ideas and advice on how to incorporate hygge into your everyday life.
Available at Amazon, $11.75
Get the most out of your workouts with these tips from a former pro boxer and NFL trainer
Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food
Available at Amazon, $16.65
Written by Los Angeles Lakers nutrition consultant Cate Shanahan, this book outlines the importance and results of eating a diet based on many traditional cuisines: fresh foods, fermented and sprouted foods, meat on the bone and organ meat. Shanahan dives into the genetic benefit of eating according to her philosophy (and like a pro athlete), which involves avoiding sugar, minimizing empty starches and drinking down bone broth and stock, which contain healing and connective-tissue-building compounds such as collagen and amino acids.
Healthy Gut, Flat Stomach: The Fast and Easy Low-FODMAP Diet Plan
Available at Amazon, $10.67
Digestion issues are real. Registered dietitian Danielle Capalino wants to help you identify the foods that can cause stomach discomfort and beat the bloat for good. The FODMAP approach is backed by science but Capalino breaks down the difference between this approach and a gluten-free diet and gives a sample meal plan and recipe to help you get started.
The Endurance Diet: Discover the 5 Core Habits of the World’s Greatest Athletes to Look, Feel, and Perform Better
This book is a compilation of sports nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald’s 20 years of research and experience with the world’s top professional endurance athletes, who are right up there as some of the fittest and healthiest in the world. Fitzgerald outlines five core habits and key strategies for top performance: eat everything, eat quality, eat carbohydrate, eat enough, and eat individually. The book is also backed by Olympic marathoner Shalane Flanagan, who has cookbook of her own called Run Fast, Eat Slow.
Available at Amazon, $10.27