10 Health and Wellness Books Everyone Should Read

Outlive by Peter Attiya and Bill Gifford

Peter Attiya is a doctor who is obsessed with healthy aging and getting the most out of your body. In this book, he and coauthor Bill Gifford outline strategies for adding good, healthy years to your life. The book compiles the latest science on living a longer, healthier life, focusing on four main pillars: exercise, nutrition, sleep, and emotional health. The book introduces the concept of the "Centenarian Decathlon," a list of physical activities you aim to be able to perform at 100 years old, encouraging sustainable exercise habits.

Who it’s for:

Biohackers
People seeking vitality
Anti-aging enthusiasts
People who want healthy aging

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Atomic Habits by James Clear

"Atomic Habits" by James Clear is a powerful (and now classic) guide on how to build good habits while breaking bad ones. The idea is that small, incremental changes can lead to significant improvements over time. He introduces the concept of "atomic habits," which are tiny changes that can compound into remarkable results.

The book is structured around four laws of behavior change:

Make It Obvious: Identify your habits and design your environment to make the good habits more apparent.
Make It Attractive: Use temptation bundling and positive reinforcement to make your habits appealing.
Make It Easy: Simplify your habits, break them into smaller steps, and reduce friction to make them easier to start and maintain.
Make It Satisfying: Use immediate rewards and track your progress to make your habits rewarding.

Clear emphasizes the importance of identity-based habits, where you focus on becoming the type of person who embodies the habits you want to build. Instead of aiming for specific outcomes, you aim to embody the qualities of someone who has achieved those outcomes.

The book is filled with practical strategies, real-life examples, and scientific research to help readers understand and apply the principles of habit formation.

Who it’s for: businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking change.

Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fatphobia by Sabrina Strings

This book is essential for anyone seeking to understand why it is deeply problematic to be told that our weight is the root cause of our medical issues, when, in fact, it is often a side effect rather than the cause. It delves into how the concept of fatness became racialized as Europeans sought to impose Anglo-centric beauty standards. Fearing the Black Body is a history lesson that liberates the reader by showing how things came to be, allowing them to reevaluate how they feel about weight and its relationship to health and beauty.

You might wonder why a history book would be recommended reading for someone searching for health and fitness content, but here’s why:

How we view our goals and the progress we make toward those goals ties directly to our ability to stay motivated toward achieving those goals. The more you understand the historical reasons for the beauty standards of the 21st century, the more you’ll be able to resist the toxic thoughts that can bubble to the surface if you can’t achieve a goal initially. Especially if that goal is weight loss.

Who it’s for: anyone looking for a way to make fitness a more inclusive space, people who like history, and people trying to liberate themselves from unproductive emotions like guilt and fear.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel A. van der Kolk

"The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma" by Bessel A. van der Kolk is a groundbreaking book that explores the profound impact of trauma on the human body and mind. Dr. van der Kolk, a leading expert in the field of trauma, draws on decades of research and clinical experience to provide a comprehensive understanding of how trauma affects individuals and how they can heal.

The book delves into the ways trauma reshapes both the brain and body, often leading to long-term physical and psychological issues. Dr. van der Kolk explains how trauma can disrupt the brain's ability to regulate emotions, form healthy relationships, and maintain self-control. He also highlights the importance of understanding the body's role in trauma and healing, emphasizing that trauma is not just a psychological issue but a physical one as well.

Dr. van der Kolk introduces various innovative treatments that can help trauma survivors recover, including neurofeedback, meditation, yoga, and other body-based therapies. He emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of safety and connection for trauma survivors, as well as the power of relationships in the healing process.

Overall, "The Body Keeps the Score" offers a new paradigm for understanding and treating trauma, providing hope and practical strategies for those affected by it.

Who it’s for: people trying to manage stress or trauma, people at an unexplained weight loss plateau, and people looking to reorient their relationship with their body.

The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight by Satchin Panda

Dr. Satchin Panda, a leading researcher on circadian rhythms, presents a comprehensive guide on how aligning your lifestyle with your body's natural clock can lead to significant health benefits. The book explains the importance of the circadian clock, how it works, and how to recognize when it's out of sync. It offers practical lifestyle changes to reset your body clock, enhance weight loss, improve sleep, optimize exercise, and manage technology use. Dr. Panda's methods aim to prevent and reverse chronic ailments like diabetes, cancer, and dementia, as well as digestive issues such as acid reflux and irritable bowel disease. By understanding and following your circadian code, you can achieve better health and longevity.

Who it’s for: people experiencing plateaus, people trying to feel better or have more energy, people doing a digital detox, nutrition coaches, and personal trainers.

Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

This book is a game-changer for those who are over the diet culture charade. This book flips the script on dieting by guiding you to trust your body's own hunger and fullness signals. Tribole and Resch present ten principles that help you cultivate a healthy relationship with food—minus the guilt and shame.

They dismantle the toxic myths about weight and appearance that society has drilled into us. Instead, the focus is on body positivity, self-compassion, and rejecting the harmful diet mentality. By weaving in real-life examples and practical advice, this book empowers you to savor your food choices, show kindness to yourself, and ultimately find peace with food. It's a must-read for breaking free from the endless diet cycle and embracing a more intuitive, holistic approach to eating.

Who it’s for: people recovering from eating disorders and people sick of diets.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

This might be obvious to some, but it needs to be said: that a disorganized environment is stressful, which can affect your health.

"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo is a must-read for anyone who wants to live a more tranquil and clutter-free life. This book takes you on a journey to declutter your life by keeping only the items that "spark joy." With a deep respect for each item you own, Kondo teaches you to appreciate and thoughtfully organize your space, creating a serene and joyful environment.

Kondo's book isn't just about tidying up; it's a transformative approach that impacts your overall well-being. By focusing on what brings you joy, you create a living space that reflects your true self, reducing stress and increasing happiness. Her step-by-step method, including her unique folding techniques, has revolutionized how people around the world approach their belongings.

I've been using her strategies for nearly a decade now, and I can confidently say that they have made my living space more relaxing and clutter-free. Kondo's principles have allowed me to create an environment that not only looks tidy but also feels like a sanctuary. If you're ready to transform your home and life, this book is a game-changer.

Who it’s for: anyone whose living or working environment could be tidier and more peaceful.

High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendan Burchard

Ever wondered what sets extraordinary people apart from the rest? Brendan Burchard’s "High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way" breaks it down into six powerful habits that anyone can adopt to reach their full potential. The book dives deep into practical strategies for clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage—transforming these core principles into daily routines that drive high performance.

Burchard's approach is all about actionable steps and real-world examples, making it clear that achieving greatness isn't about innate talent but about consistent, deliberate practice. He emphasizes the importance of intentional living, challenging readers to take control of their habits and mindset to create lasting change.

With a blend of research, personal anecdotes, and motivational insights, this book offers a roadmap for anyone looking to elevate their game and achieve sustained success. Trust me, integrating these high-performance habits can be a game-changer in your pursuit of excellence.

Who it’s for: people who want to make changes in their life (personal, health-related, or professional).

Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping by Robert Sapolsky

Why don’t zebras get stressed like humans do? Robert Sapolsky dives into this fascinating question, revealing that while zebras experience stress in short bursts—like during a lion chase—humans tend to let stress linger, turning it into a chronic condition. Our modern lives are a breeding ground for stress-related health issues, from cardiovascular problems to mental health struggles.

Sapolsky unpacks the science behind stress, explaining how it impacts our body’s systems and how we can manage it better. He blends humor with hard-hitting science, making the biological mechanics of stress easy to grasp. By understanding our evolutionary quirks, we can learn to mitigate the daily stressors that take a toll on our health.

This book isn’t just informative; it’s a roadmap for navigating the stress of modern life. For anyone wanting to decode the mysteries of stress and find practical ways to deal with it, Sapolsky’s insights are invaluable.

Who it’s for: stressed-out people, anyone with hormone imbalances, autoimmune issues, busy people, and parents.